The Project A.C.C.E.S.S Program works to Assist, Clarify, Coordinate, Educate, and provide Support Services for all homeless children and youth referred in the School District of Lee County. The district homeless education liaison coordinates efforts with the Project ACCESS social worker, and Title I school social worker to provide activities for, and services to, homeless children, including preschool-age and unaccompanied youth that enable, them to enroll in, attend, and succeed in school.
I am writing to Thank LACES OF LOVE for your continued support of the students in Lee County School District. I especially thank you for the students who are eligible through Project ACCESS Program. Our numbers of students in transition and experiencing or at risk of becoming homeless are growing every year. In 2011/12 school year 1,392 students were identified and served. This … Read the rest

To Laces of Love

I cannot say thank you enough for what Laces of Love does to help the students and student athletes of Immokalee High School. I also cannot thank you enough for the amazing support you have given the wrestling season over the past couple of years. Without this support the wrestling program would have not grown like it has and I would not have been able to instill the values in the kids that participating in a sport provides.
While the kids are very thankful for what Laces of Loves gives them I myself am more thankful for what you have given me the opportunity to do. The opportunity that you have given me is the chance to coach some of the best kids a coach could ask for. This year we … Read the rest

Received this morning (10.24.12):

Thank you so very much for providing shoes for our son … and not just any shoes, Nikes!  Our home burned down on 9-28-2012, and very few items have been salvaged.  Our son, a Junior in high school, was approached by a teacher regarding LACES of LOVE.  When he was given the Nikes at school, he was just thrilled!  At a time when our lives have been turned upside down, your organization was there to help!  We cannot thank you enough for such a simple gift as sneakers for a 17 year old young man.  Thank you so very much for your insightfulness and caring.

R., T., and T. L.… Read the rest

LACES of LOVE is honored to have received a 2012 HERO AWARD from COSTCO in Naples.

COSTCO representatives, David and Cynthia, sang our praises last Saturday night at a wonderful ceremony at the COSTCO store at which 4 other outstanding community organizations were also honored.  The terrific Barron Collier High School Band Drum Line performed and the Sheriff’s Department helicopter, bomb squad truck, and many public safety officers were on hand to show the COSTCO shoppers and their children MANY interesting aspects of their department.

The whole evening was COOL !!… Read the rest

I just started Kindergarden and I needed new sneakers. My school office got them from you and gave them to me. They are awesome dudes! Thank you!… Read the rest

Dr. Stephen Boe and Dr. Stephen Page and their Staff are hosting a Shoe Drive for LACES of LOVE in their dentist office November through the holidays.  Anyone can drop off new shoes for LACES at their office on Castello Drive – behind the Outback Steakhouse Plaza.  Thanks, Doc’s!  We have even bigger smiles now. . . .… Read the rest

167 needy kids received NEW sneakers from LACES of LOVE this week!… Read the rest

To date, for 2012 back-to-school, over 2,600 needy kids in Collier and Lee Counties have received new shoes from LACES of LOVE!

WOW.

Click on ‘Read Stories from Others’ under the ‘Tell Us Your Story’ shoelace on the right side of our home page.… Read the rest

Check us out on Facebook (click on the ’Facebook heart’ logo below) to learn the latest news and comments from LACES and our “Likes.”… Read the rest

LACES Board Member Dusti writes:   I had 15 gals tagging and bagging last Thursday.  On Friday, I picked up 96 pairs of new shoes at Snyderman’s Naples and over 120 from Jeanne’s supply.  Then, yesterday, 4 of us were at NIKE Miromar before the store opened, and once again we tagged 386 pairs of shoes with the help of the NIKE team members – and it still took us 4 hours.

We had a quick lunch and headed back to my house where we filled all the brown paper bags (labeled for various school deliveries – high schools, middle schools, elementary schools) that we could.  We still need to fill 27 elementary bags – 135 more shoes!  And these are only MY deliveries – mostly Lee County.

We spent $10,788.50 - average cost = $21.50 per … Read the rest

After purchasing over 500 pairs of back to school shoes at a local store, some Laces of Love board members were thrilled to have a young store employee help load the 500+ pairs of shoes into their cars.  The employee was a recent Collier County high school graduate.   He asked, “So what’s all this about – all these shoes?”  The Laces gals explained that they were buying for LACES of LOVE, and he smiled and said, “You know what?  I know what Laces of Love is!”   He got very excited and continued, “I went to Lely High School, and I received new shoes and new football cleats from Laces of Love!  My parents are divorced, and my mom didn’t have the extra money for shoes - let alone football cleats.  I wouldn’t have been able to play without those cleats.  … Read the rest

I wanted to share a wonderful experience thanks to Laces of Love. A little girl came into the clinic during PE class and complained that her toes hurt. She was wearing a size 2 shoe when she needed a 4! It turns out she is one of four siblings and they all needed shoes that fit. I was able to give the children brand new shoes thanks to Laces of Love. The touching part was being able to see the joy on their faces. They were so excited! I have never witnessed such genuine gratitude over something so simple. I can not put into words how happy they were; but I can let you know how thankful I am to be a school nurse in Collier County and have resources like this! Thank you, Thank … Read the rest

… Read the rest

Most were wearing shoes that had been passed down from siblings and cousins.  It’s amazing how well they take care of these shoes and try to keep them clean even when you can see the soles are wearing thin and falling apart.  It was amazing to see the joy on their faces and watch them run around with excitement in their new shoes.

Thank you to everyone who made this amazing day possible including all our Laces of Love supporters, Snyderman’s, The Guadalupe Center and the Immokalee Casino for busing the children to Naples.… Read the rest