Author of the article: The Whig-Standard
Publishing date: Feb 17, 2021 • February 17, 2021 • 2 minute read
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KINGSTON Nearly 500 pairs of winter boots have been distributed to youth in Kingston as part of the 2020 Operation Warm Feet campaign.
The boots and accessories were collected through the annual Kingston Community Health Centres campaign and are given to children and youth under 18 from low-income families.
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“People often take having proper footwear for granted, but for so many families it’s a constant worry,” Helen Mabberly, manager of Family and Community Health at the community health centres, said in a news release. “Seeing the number of boots distributed grow year after year shows the generosity and compassion of the community.”
Operation Warm Feet put their best foot forward during COVID-19
KINGSTON-For more than 20 years, Operation Warm Feet (OWF) has been working to supply winter footwear to children and youth who need it, and this year was no exception. With the 2020 campaign facing unprecedented challenges posed by COVID- 19, OWF has so far distributed almost 500 pairs of boots to youth throughout Kingston.
OWF, a program run by Kingston Community Health Centres (KCHC), has been providing children up to the age of 18 from low-income households with winter boots and accessories since 1999. OWF gratefully receives knitted goods and monetary donations from local organizations, businesses, and individuals in the community. The United Way saw the need early on and became a huge supporter, providing 60% of the needed resources annually. Monetary donations are used to buy new boots at a reduced cost through long-time partner Downtown Giant Tiger (DT GT).