WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — With schools ending across Central Georgia, one Warner Robins church is making sure students start their summers on the right foot.
That's why Harvest Builders Worship Center wanted to make sure that students started their summer on the right foot.
The church partnered with Fresh Sneaker Boutique to give free pairs of shoes to the entire 5th grade class at Northside Elementary School.
The event was a part of the church's Stepping Forward shoe campaign.
"We get to put a smile on a child's face, help a mom out with something she doesn't have to buy and help out our teachers," says Pastor Levi Rozier. "This really helps us bridge the gap between the home and the school and the church."
The Stepping Forward event was originally set to happen while school was in session, but was postponed due to the pandemic.
Now the church has given shoes to 89 of Northside's students before they leave for middle school.
"It just worked out that now we've got something special for every child that's not graduating," says Rozier. "We decided to not just be in our community but to be a part of our community."
The shoe campaign gave the worship center an opportunity to give back to the Warner Robins area, while helping a local business.
Money for the shoes purchased from Fresh Sneaker Boutique was raised by the Harvest Builders congregation.
"Even though it's hard for people, you can't get out of your house, kids are frustrated... we're all in this together. No one is by themselves," says Rozier.
The Harvest Builders Worship Center plans to make the Stepping Forward shoe campaign an annual event in Warner Robins.
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