Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Amid all the uncertainty and cancellations of 2020, one thing remains constant: winter is coming.
That’s why the Napanee Salvation Army and the Napanee Area Community Health Centre (NACHC) are once again organizing a winter boot drive. They’re currently accepting donations of new or gently used winter boots, which they will distribute to families in need ahead of the frigid weather.
“Because of COVID we actually anticipate that our demand is going to be higher than it has been in years past and we want to make sure that every child who is in need has a chance to get a pair of boots,” said Abby Mills, director of community ministries with the Napanee Salvation Army.
In a typical year they’ll help 300-400 kids, but this year has been anything but typical. With so many families experiencing the financial crunch of COVID-19, it’s expected more people will need to access the program.
Monetary or boot donations or can be made to either the Salvation Army at 82 Richard St. or the NACHC at 26 Dundas St. W during regular business hours. An inability to fundraise this year means any community support is that much more appreciated.
Parents or guardians who need a little help with winter boots this year are encouraged to register through their child’s school.
“It’s school aged youth,” explains Victoria Cadue, community development director with NACHC. “Any child that is in school, anywhere from Kindergarten to Grade 12 is eligible for a pair of boots. We actually have connections with the schools so they can connect with their student support workers or adolescent support workers at their schools and anyone who is working with any agencies such as Family and Children Services, Interval House will take referrals, Napanee Area Community Health Centre, Salvation Army, there’s lots of places able to refer.”
The deadline to register for the program is Oct. 23 with plans to distribute the boots by mid-November. Pick up of the boots will be done at local schools. Even if a child were currently in an e-learning program, they would still qualify for the program.
Boot sizes include child size seven-13, youth size one-4 and ladies and men size six-13. All donations stay within Lennox and Addington.
“If (kids are) at school and they don’t have the winter wear, they miss out on the social activities that take place outside,” said Mills. “It helps them to be part of their social group and helps them to be safe when they’re outside because kids are kids and they’re going to go outside whether they have the proper footwear.”
The Salvation Army and NACHC boots campaign, which is part of the L&A Poverty Reduction Committee, is strictly for footwear. Along with boots, they’ll also provide warm socks courtesy a donation from Canadian Tire Jumpstart.
Coats will once again be offered locally through the Corus Kingston Clothes For Kids Campaign. Registration for that program can be done through a local community agency that a family is already a part of and they will help them through the process.