One of Lansing’s oldest charities, Old Newsboys, is continuing its yearly tradition of helping school children receive footwear. Founded in 1924, the organization gathers volunteers to serve children in Lansing school districts from kindergarten to 12th grade.
On Dec. 6, the organization will distribute satirical "Lansing Spoof Journals" in downtown Lansing and other communities within a 25-mile radius. Volunteers will collect donations for the shoe program in orange jugs in exchange for the papers.
“Collectively, that money goes to our mission of putting shoes on kids' feet. ... We have donations that are given to us throughout the year, but our biggest day is the first Thursday in December,” Claire Corr, president of the Board of Directors, said.
Corr said the Lansing Spoof Journal writers take a humorous event in the community and make it into a fake, comedic story.
“When President Trump first came out about fake news, we thought to ourselves, ‘you know what, we could really use this to our advantage,’ because we say that we are the originators of fake news," she said. "Everything in our paper is designed to be funny.”
Corr said Newsboys works with schools to help identify children who are eligible for the free or reduced lunch program. If qualified, the child’s parents can fill out an application for a $43 voucher for shoes to be reviewed by the City of Lansing.
Old Newsboys works with Meijer, Payless ShoeSource and Sears to provide footwear.
“Sears is wonderful because they work with larger sizes,” Corr said. “If a child has to have braces attached to his or her shoes, we usually send them to Sears. They're very accommodating.”
Corr said the program is important to her because she sees the impact on children. She said a mother came up to her with her daughter who had received shoes. The child was jumping while saying “I’ve got your boots on.”
“I see the difference,” Corr said. “I know these kids can go to school, they can participate in activities because they have good shoes.”
She said improper footwear can create health issues.
“I work for Sparrow Health System and I see that a lot — those folks that come into the hospital because they haven't had the proper footwear to protect their feet, to protect their body,” she said. “It's just such a basic need that most of us do take it for granted.”
This year, the group's goal is to raise $173,000. Alternatives to donating in-person include going online or by texting “shoes” to (517) 208-2788. Retirees from the MSU Retirement Association will be volunteering in the fundraising event on Dec. 6.
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