Cypress Church, with campuses in the Hilliard/Galloway and Dublin communities in Ohio (and one set to open in Grove City in early 2017), has partnered with local elementary schools and other organizations to distribute over 2,000 pairs of shoes to children.

“We reached out to teachers and administrators, asking them what we could do to make an impact in a child’s life this school year,” said Ken Murphy, senior pastor at Cypress. “In past years our people have donated over 2,800 new coats, backpacks, school supplies, even socks and underwear. This year, we were told the biggest need was for new shoes. Teachers told us of kids coming to school with holes in their shoes, with shoes that did not fit properly, and one teacher even shared that she keeps a roll of duct tape in her desk to repair shoes that are falling apart.”

Cypress Church members donated the shoes over three weeks in July, along with area businesses who collected shoes in donation boxes. Cypress partners with nine organizations in local communities that serve children as well as adults in a number of different ways.

To learn more, visit lovecolumbus.tv. To read what a local newspaper published about the initiative click here.