Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Helping Put Their Best Foot Forward
  Society piece by Thomas D. Segel

Harlingen, Texas, August 11, 2010:  Many of us can remember a saying that was often used by parents or grandparents when they were encouraging us to excel at some particular worthy effort.  They told us we should go out and “put our best foot forward”.  It was their way of telling us to put everything we had into the project or event.

In the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, we are very familiar with the economic realities of this world.  In this one corner of Texas are congregated a disproportionate number of poor, underemployed, unemployed and financially challenged individuals and families. Their plight is worse than usual during this time of economic stagnation.  Try as they may, the realities of life make it next to impossible for them to put that best foot…or any foot forward.

The number of children in these disadvantaged households is staggering, numbering into many thousand struggling babies, toddlers and youth.  Even though they are offered an education to lift them out of their life situation, economics again places a huge barrier on the pathway.  These young people are being sent to school without the basic tools to complete their lessons…including shoes on their feet.

While there are many programs around the state and the nation to assure children arrive in school prepared to undertake their classroom assignments, there is one organization that has become directly involved in a very unassuming, but extremely important program…placing shoes on the feet of those children in need, as they return to school.

The Salvation Army unit headquartered in Harlingen, Texas has a mission dedicated specifically providing these much-needed shoes to schoolchildren.  Operating on the earned interest of a small endowment fund dedicated to the shoe program, the Army has made sure hundreds of children in elementary and middle school entered their classrooms with new shoes on their feet.  The program operates through school officials who identify those children in need.  The Salvation Army then provides vouchers, which can be used to purchase shoes at a previously approved store.

The program started off modestly, by taking care of the Harlingen elementary school children’s needs.  It was then expanded to middle school children in the city.  But, the problems were not solved by those actions.  Soon children in the cities of San Benito and Rio Hondo became part of the program.

But, every charitable program is limited by available funds.  Now it is very clear the number of shoeless children far exceeds the number of dollars in the bank account.  The problem has grown disproportionately due to the increased role of this local Salvation Army unit.  It is now charged with servicing all of Cameron County and reaches up into Willacy County.  This is a tremendous amount of real estate filled with an uncountable number of little feet needing shoes.

The big question facing the Salvation Army is how to fill the needs of so many children.  The answer can be found in the hearts of those who care deeply about their neighbors.  Any financial gift can be dedicated to the program and will all be used to place shoes on the feet of children.  Those wishing to have their gifts placed in the shoe endowment will help the seed money grow in perpetuity.  As the Salvation Army battles to create resources to cover an important need, perhaps it is a good time for caring people to also put their best foot forward.

Semper Fidelis

Thomas D. Segel
http://thomasdsegel.com/

Posted by Thomas D. Segel on 8/11/10

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