Laces of Love Receives $1,000 Check

Remember back when you were in grade school or high school? Maybe you wore a scruffy pair of shoes to school, ones you weren’t happy to be seen in. Imagine, then, that magically you were given a pair of new shoes. Imagine your surprise, your happiness at receiving such a wondrous gift. Such is the case for thousands of children throughout our region thanks to the Shoe Lady, Jeanne Nara Nealon, and her busy group of volunteers.

Maybe you’re a parent now starting to outfit your child or children for school. You know that new shoes are often needed because they’re worn out or your child’s feet have grown over the summer. You’re probably also very aware of the cost of new shoes which can put a dent in the budget, especially if buying for several children. Laces of Love is a local organization founded by Nealon that gives new shoes to children designated as financially disadvantaged or needy. 

The Marco Island Community Foundation recently gave Laces of Love $1,000 which is expected to provide new shoes for all the public elementary students designated as needing financial help on Marco Island, according to Susy Warren, a co- founder of Laces of Love and a winter resident on the island.

The organization gives new shoes not only to Marco Island children, but to public school students in Collier and Lee Counties. Last year, despite many schools being closed and volunteers isolated, Laces of Love donated about 15,000 pairs of shoes to needy children. Since the organization was incorporated in 2005 Nealon stated over 200,000 children in Southwest Florida have received shoes from Laces of Love. That’s a lot of love and a lot of joy reflected in the faces of children who received shoes, as seen by the pictures accompanying this story.

Laces of Love was also active when families suffered because of hurricanes. In 2019 when hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle, Laces of Love gave children 1,326 pairs of shoes. In 2018, 3,500 pairs were donated to Hurricane Irma victims and families. 

Laces of Love works with all Collier and Lee County schools and partners with over 35 organizations and programs. Children who need shoes are often identified through school guidance counselors, school nurses and teachers. The schools report the age, sex of the child and size of the shoes needed. Once purchased or donated, the shoes are transported to the school and the gift made in the privacy of staff offices. All shoes carry a tag indicating they are from Laces of Love, so parents know where they came from. Children who receive the shoes are asked to send a thank you note or drawing to the organization. 

Laces of Love was begun by Nealon because of personal experiences. When she was a teacher, she gave a middle school student a ride home after a school activity and learned his family lived in a migrant camp where he shared his shoes with other siblings. The story of Laces of Love found on their website tells of Nealon growing up in a family of eight with Nealon learning from her parents about giving. 

“When I was a little girl, my mom gave me a book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I learned from this book and my parents the true meaning of love is giving.”

Also, Nealon and her sister Mary Myrmo watched a film, Children from Heaven, about two children who shared shoes because they were poor. “Realizing kids were sharing shoes in our community, we took action.” Nealon started collecting new shoes and delivering them to schools. She was joined by her sister in the effort, a co-founder who helped with funding and collecting shoes, eventually through shoe drives and shoe parties. Warren, with experience in nonprofit fund raising and marketing, asked to join the group, according to Nealon and became secretary-treasurer of Laces. Nealon stated that Warren has been invaluable in extending the reach of the organization.  

Shoes are collected through shoe drives and shoe parties when attendees bring a pair of new shoes to donate preferably sneakers with or without socks.  Boys and girls shoe sizes, one through 11, are requested including half sizes but no baby or toddler shoes. Laces also facilitates the donation of cleats and sport shoes to student athletes who, without proper shoes, would not be able to play in their respective sports. The organization’s statistics indicate that 60 percent of Collier County public school students are economically needy or disadvantaged while 70 percent are in Lee County.

Monetary donations are also encouraged with checks payable to Laces of Love or by using credit cards at www.lacesoflove.org. There is no paid staff, and all donated funds are used to buy shoes, according to Nealon. Expenses are covered by a fund raiser for that specific purpose. New shoes can be dropped off at Snyderman’s Shoes, 4910 on Tamiami Trail North or at St. William Roman Catholic Church at 601 Seagate Drive, Naples.

According to Laces January 2021 newsletter, the shoe distribution in 2020 in Collier County was 3,348 pairs in elementary schools, 1,152 pairs in middle schools, 1,301 pairs in high schools. In addition, 2,680 pairs were given to other Collier County agencies. The Lee County distribution in 2020 was 3,770 pairs in elementary schools, 530 pairs in middle schools, 468 in high schools and l,572 pairs to other Lee County agencies. What a lot of love and joy!

Nealon, president of Laces of Love Charitable Foundation, is a dynamic woman with a heart for children. She gives motivational talks and wrote the story of Laces of Love. Her book, titled Laces of Love, tells heartwarming stories about some of the children who’ve received shoes and of other persons who’ve helped in the giving of shoes. All book sales go to the non-profit charity. 

Nealon taught middle and high school for many years, was named Teacher of the Year for Collier County Schools in 1994 and is a Golden Apple Award recipient. In 2013 she was awarded AAUW’s Women of Achievement award and in 2018 was named a Women of Initiative by the Collier County Woman’s Foundation. Nealon is the mother of two sons, a school volunteer, a substitute teacher when needed and a Religious Education teacher at St. William Church. She is also the Shoe Lady extraordinaire!!!