Samaritan’s Feet, Elevation Church, and Rock Hill School District Three came together on Monday, January 16, to hold a Shoes of  Hope distribution with one goal in mind. That goal was to make a difference and spread a message of  hope. Samaritan’s Feet is  a nonprofit organization founded in 2003 by Emmanuel Ohonme for the purpose of sharing hope with those in need and giving them a new pair of shoes. The organization believes a new pair of shoes can be a symbol of hope to a person in need. This event was part of the National Day of Service to commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and is the second Shoes for Hope event to be held in the Rock Hill area.

In an effort to reach as many families as possible, the school district provided transportation to and from the event.  Volunteers from across Rock Hill came out ready to roll up their sleeves and help in any way they could.  As each family arrived, they were  greeted with smiling faces and words of encouragement from the  more than 100 volunteers.

Each child and parent had their feet washed and they each received the gift of a new pair of shoes.  Rock Hill District Three also provided each child with a backpack and school supplies from the Sharehouse School Zone, a school supply house operated by the Rock Hill District.

There were approximately 300 pairs of shoe distributed during this event and each of the families left with smiles on their faces because not only did they receive a new pair of shoes, they also received a message of hope and encouraging words. At the conclusion of the event, the volunteers were also smiling because they had participated in spreading the message of hope and making a difference in the lives of the citizens of Rock Hill.

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