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The Shoe-Shoe Train |
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Women of Reform Judaism |
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Up until a couple of years ago, Shoe-Shoe Train was a project conducted by a small local Jewish Women International (JWI) chapter which recently became defunct. Determined not to let this worthwhile project fold, a couple of Temple Kol Emeth Sisterhood members who were active in JWI and intimately involved with Shoe-Shoe Train since it’s inception decided petition the WRJ Board in Fall 2002 to adopt the project. WRJ was thrilled to be able to carry on this long tradition of community service which to-date has provided more than 1800 pairs of new school shoes to this impoverished community. Here’s How It Works And What About All Those Shoes? In addition, about a week or so before Shoe-Shoe Train day, our sisterhood gathers to clean all the donated gently worn shoes. A local shoe store or shoe factory usually donates the supplies needed to clean, polish, or re-lace them. After these shoes are revitalized, they are sorted by gender and size, ready for delivery on Shoe-Shoe Train day. On Shoe-Shoe Train day, the children come to the Community Center where they are fitted with their new shoes, with refreshments following. All the gently worn shoes are delivered to the Neighborhood Community Center as well where families can come by, try on a pair or 2 and take them home. The community is very appreciative, openly thankful, and welcomes our assistance each year. Shoe-Shoe Train's Impact:
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All
Aboard With Shoe-Shoe Train 
WRJ of Temple Kol Emeth in Marietta, GA, has adopted a community services
project called Shoe-Shoe Train. The goal of Shoe-Shoe Train is to
provide at least one new pair of school shoes to the disadvantaged children
of Cabbagetown, a small impoverished inner-city neighborhood in southeast
Atlanta, Georgia. Historically, Cabbagetown was built in the early 1880’s
for employees of the South's first cotton processing mill which thrived
until the mid-1950s, but shut down completely in the mid 1970’s. Some
of the residents left the area to find work, but many stayed on. Today, many
of the impoverished families who still reside in Cabbagetown are descendents
of these initial mill families. 
The major fund raiser for this project is an annual Hot Dog Sale.
However, over the years, the project has developed relationships with and
gained support from several large local community business partners, i.e.,
Kroger, Publix, and Wal-Mart. From these partners and our
own WRJ members, donated products are solicited for the Hot Dog sale, gift
certificates are acquired for needed items (Kroger & Publix supermarkets),
dollar-for dollar matching funds for all funds raised are secured
(Wal-Mart), and significant purchasing discounts on new school shoes are
furnished. In addition to the Hot Dog sale, WRJ solicits donations of
gently worn men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes to give to Cabbagetown
families. Not only do our own members, their friends, and colleagues
donate shoes to the project, but also we have worked hard to build
relationships with local preschools so that the parents can donate their
children's gently worn shoes to a good and meaningful cause. Since
this project’s inception, over 3000 pairs of gently worn shoes have been
donated. 
About 2 weeks before the actual Shoe-Shoe Train event (delivery day of the
new shoes), several sisterhood members go down to the Cabbagetown
Neighborhood Community Center. On average, we are greeted by 60 to 75
families with multiple children ranging in age from infants to high-schoolers.
Each child is individually sized and asked what style shoes he/she would
like for school. After the children have been sized, we purchase the
shoes from either K-Mart or Payless. Each pair is carefully labeled
with each child’s name to add a personal touch, making each child feel
special that their shoes were bought especially for them. 
It is not
easy to say who benefits more from the Shoe-Shoe Train project, the children
and families of Cabbagetown, the members of WRJ at TKE, or the many local
volunteers and participants who take part in the various aspects and
activities which make Shoe-Shoe Train a successful coordinated community
effort. An overwhelming appreciation of the plight of children in
poverty and the generosity of others in the community can be readily seen by
those who are touched directly by Shoe-Shoe Train. Shoe-Shoe Train has
caused a growing and contagious understanding of children at risk within our
local community. Yes, it takes time to go through your closets and
donate those shoes that are too small, or aren’t comfortable anymore but
people do. Yes, it takes a few minutes to stop, buy a hot dog and ask
questions about what we’re doing selling hot dogs on a hot Sunday afternoon,
but people do stop. But for most people, it only takes a second to see
how happy and proud a child feels when walking out into their neighborhood
with nice, clean and stylish new shoes for school. Yes, it only takes
a second to show someone that you care about them.