By Sarah Hammad and Mihika Dabhade – Staff Reporters 

The Jonathan Law UNICEF Club is hosting a shoe drive to support communities in need while raising funds for UNICEF and promoting sustainability.

Students and their families are encouraged to donate gently used or new shoes, which will be distributed to people in need through a partnered organization.

Junior Aaryaa Bulbule said the club wanted to create an event that combined community service, environmental awareness, and fundraising. 

“We wanted to find a way to help people in need by not only upcycling, but being able to raise money for our club,” Bulbule said. 

The club has set a goal of collecting around 90 bags of shoes, with each bag containing close to 25 pairs of shoes. Members hope the ambitious target will encourage widespread participation throughout the school community. 

The donated shoes will be sent through the organization, Funds2Orgs, which distributes the shoes to underprivileged communities. 

Club Advisor Mr. Evanko explained that service projects like these help students connect their actions to a larger global impact. 

“The UNICEF Club believes in raising money for UNICEF, but also other international fundraisers and organizations,” Evanko said. 

Organizing the drive has also helped the students build important leadership and communication skills. 

“Students are developing communication and networking skills – we have had to contact other local organizations, such as houses of worship, to help us achieve our goal,” Evanko said. 

Bulbule noted that collecting such a large number of donations has been the biggest challenge for the whole group. 

“One of the main challenges is just being able to collect 90 bags,” Bulbule said. “It’s a large amount of shoes to collect, and we need all the help we can get.” 

Junior Anushka Vajrala said the shoe drive was designed to make participation easy while still creating a meaningful impact on a global scale. 

“Our club was inspired to organize the shoe drive as a creative way to fundraise while also making a direct impact,” Vajrala said. “We wanted an event that would support UNICEF’s global initiatives financially while giving our school community an easy, meaningful way to get involved.” 

The club also hopes that the drive will raise broader awareness of the bigger mission of UNICEF and the challenges faced by children all over the world.   

“Our primary goal is to collect as many gently used or new shoes as possible while raising awareness about UNICEF’s mission,” Vajrala said. “We hope this event encourages students to recognize how small contributions can create a larger global impact.” 

Evanko has added that initiatives like the shoe drive help students understand how local addiction can create change while strengthening connections in school. 

“I believe this will have a positive impact on the school community – it has brought us together in the name of a good cause,” Evanko said. 

Through projects like the shoe drive, the UNICEF club continues to encourage students to participate in service, promote sustainability, and support children and families in need everywhere.