Barrington Giving Day Gifts Children with a New Pair of Shoes for School

Patricia Karon had a simple wish, to give children a new pair of shoes and a new outfit for the first day of school.

Karon, executive director of Barrington Giving Day, knew there was a need. She shared her vision with St. Matthew Lutheran Church, which had been searching for a way to help struggling families with back to school costs.

Barrington Giving Day’s Back to School initiative was born.

“We really feel this will be a great asset to the families in our school district,” Karon said.

Giving Day has been collecting cash donations and clothing for families enrolled in Barrington School District 220’s free and reduced lunch program. Schools, churches and groups like the Rotary have donated or provided financial contributions. Clothing donations will be accepted until Aug. 1. Donation boxes are available throughout the community. Cash donations are accepted year-round.

“Everyday, I get a bag in the boxes,” said Sue Mullen, director of assimilation and outreach ministries for St. Matthew’s Church. She is the church’s facilitator for the event.

Mullen recalls one of the highlights of growing up was shopping for new shoes and clothes for school.

“That’s what we are trying to do here,” she said. “We are not giving clothes away, we are letting them shop.”

Families will be able to come to St. Matthew, by invitation, to shop for a new outfit, shoes and socks. Mullen expects between 300 and 350 families will shop. So far, Barrington Giving Day has collected about 3,000 pieces of clothing, she said.

Giving Day has been around, in some form, for 60 years. It has been known for a December Giving Day where families received winter outerwear, toys, blankets and food.

Last year, the organization purchased hundreds of dollars worth of shoes for the December Giving Day, which were gone within the first 45 minutes, she said.

“The need was so great we decided to do a Back to School event with St. Matthew’s,” Karon said. “The Back to School event is the first one we’ve ever done. Hopefully, it will be an annual event.”

Karon applied for a grant from the Barrington Area Community Foundation to purchase new shoes for the Back to School program. Barrington Giving Day has purchased close to 800 new pairs.

Giving Day could use more donations of jeans or pants in larger sizes for boys and men, Mullen said.

“Our prayer is God will provide and he will turn it into something worthy for him,” Mullen said. “This is serving people that God cares for very much.”

Cash donations are also good so Giving Day can go out and buy whatever else is needed at the last minute, Karon said.

Planning for the December Giving Day starts in September or October. Donations can be made anytime on Barrington Giving Day’s website.