Kickball for a Cause: Milwaukee school supply, shoe giveaway
Milwaukee school supply, shoe giveaway
Kickball for a Cause brought the Milwaukee community together at Merrill Park on Saturday to support kids and families before they head back to school.
MILWAUKEE - Back-to-school time is one of the most expensive for families, but Milwaukee leaders looked to offset some costs for the community on Saturday.
Local perspective:
Walking into a new school year isn’t always a blast; it comes with its own set of challenges for both kids and parents.
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"I face hardships sometimes, financial hardships," she said. "School supplies, because we all know it’s very expensive."
Luckily, help is just a few feet away this year.
Kickball for a Cause at Merrill Park
On Saturday, MPD Officer Isaac King helped coordinate the inaugural "Kickball for a Cause." The community event at Merrill Park brought together sponsors, donors, partners and first responders for comfort, camaraderie and connection.
"We all are together in this. It still takes a village, and this is a part of a village," said MPD Officer Isaac King. "The togetherness, to show, 'hey if you need us, we're here and we need you too.’"
That relationship was on display through giveaways. Organizers handed out more than 300 backpacks, school supplies and more than 400 pairs of shoes for kids.
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"I've had a couple of families come to me and say they lost items for their kids in the flooding, poverty has always been an issue," said King.
It’s a gesture that even the kids noticed.
"This is nice because some kids don't have shoes and bookbags and nothing to eat," said child Stephanie Buchanan.
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It was a different kind of back-to-school giveaway on Saturday, Aug. 30. A Milwaukee church and daycare teamed up to give students and families a fresh start to the new school year.
The shoes, specifically, were part of a partnership with McBob's Pub & Grill. Owner Katy Klinner said the idea came after the restaurant received a nasty comment on Facebook regarding shoes – using this to turn it around.
"There's so much bad going on right now, at least there's a little bit of good we can do," she said.
What's next:
Leaders hope it resonates throughout the community and helps kids start the year off on the right foot. King said, in his eyes, Saturday's event was a success; he hopes to make it an annual event.
The Source: FOX6 News went to Saturday's event and spoke to organizers, partners and attendees.