JACKSONVILLE, Fla – As families gear up for the back-to-school season, one Positively JAX event is reminding the community what really matters: showing up for kids—literally.
Kicks for the Kids, a beloved local shoe drive, is back for its 15th year, offering students more than just a new pair of sneakers. It’s a confidence boost, a reason to smile—and, for some, a reason to return to school.
News4JAX sat down with Duval County Public Schools social workers and the women behind this grassroots movement to learn how shoes can actually make a difference in school attendance.
A Personal Shopping Experience—For Every Child
In the middle of the hectic back-to-school rush, Kicks for the Kids creates a space where time slows down and children are treated like VIPs. Each child gets their own personal shopper, a choice of brand-new shoes, and a memorable moment of dignity and care.
It all started with a simple conversation between sisters Tan and Veronica.
“We would call parents and say, ‘Hey, little Johnny hasn’t shown up for school.’ And sometimes, they’d tell us, ‘He doesn’t have any shoes,’” recalls Veronica, a longtime Duval County school social worker. “So one Sunday, we were just talking, and decided—let’s do something about it.”
Tan Mayhew adds, “I thought, okay, this will be easy. We’ll ask a few friends to donate shoes. I never imagined it would grow into something this big.”
That first year, they collected 300 pairs. Today, Kicks for the Kids brings in as many as 4,000 new shoes—thanks to an army of volunteers and donors across the Jacksonville area.
A Community That Believes in the Cause
“Now these people—many of them don’t know us personally. They just believe in the cause,” said Tan. “That’s the beautiful thing about Jacksonville. We may look different, live differently, but our hearts are the same.”
Crystalene Brown, another Duval County social worker, says the impact is immense.
“It’s always been difficult for social workers to find shoes for children,” she said. “Knowing this resource exists takes away that worry. It changes the game for families.”
For the Mayhews, social workers have always been the heart of the operation.
“We kept going because they kept showing up,” said Tan. “When we didn’t have volunteers, we had social workers. You all do this 365 days a year. We just do it one weekend. That’s what makes it so special.”
The Gift That Keeps Giving
More than a donation, Kicks for the Kids is a lesson in generosity.
“Children learn what it feels like to give. Parents experience what it means to give. And the students receiving the shoes feel seen and cared for,” said Tan. “It’s a full-circle moment.”
The shoe drive also supports a year-round shoe closet at a local elementary school, stocked with donations that come in after the main event. So if a child needs shoes in February or April, there’s always a place to “shop.”
Brown adds, “It gives us more love, more light. And to see kids walk out with new shoes? That feeling—you can’t buy it.”
How to Help
News4JAX has supported Kicks for the Kids for nearly a decade, and we’re proud to help once again.
The deadline to drop off new shoes is July 30.
You can donate at the following locations:
- WJXT Channel 4
- Closets By Design
- 1st Place Sports
- Annie Lee’s Bakery & Diner
- Fragrant Body Oilz
- Meow and Barks Boutique
- Jones and Roses
Bank of America branches at:
- Normandy
- North Jacksonville
- Regency
- Baymeadows
- Ponte Vedra
- 8th Street
- Fernandina Beach
Together, we can help kids take confident steps into a new school year. That’s what it means to be Positively JAX.
