Serving Cleveland’s Neediest Children for Nearly 50 Years
Founded in 1969 by businessman Morrie Sayre as Shoes for Kids, the organization originally collected shoes to distribute directly to the children in need and later raised money to purchase new shoes to serve children directly in the schools. Shoes for Kids officially became Shoes and Clothes for Kids in 1998.
Today, SC4K distributes only brand new items – school appropriate shoes, clothes and school supplies – to help K-8 students attend and stay in school.
SC4K purchases and distributes shoe shopping passes instead of shoes, allowing families to purchase new shoes or boots of their own choosing that are stylish and fit properly. These passes help us carry out our mission with compassion, care, and respect.
SC4K distributes its items through a network of distribution partners located strategically throughout Greater Cleveland. By providing new school-appropriate shoes, clothes, and school supplies through these partner agencies, SC4K connects families to other important programs and services that improve and enrich their lives…and help improve school attendance.
SC4K charges no fees to our recipients or distribution partners, and therefore relies solely on the support of a wide variety of donors, including individuals, foundations, corporations, organizations, and small businesses.
In 2023, SC4K will distribute new school appropriate shoes, clothes, and school supplies with a retail value of more than $2.4 million. Also this year, our Cleveland Kids in Need Resource Center will provide nearly 3,000 area teachers with free supplies for their classrooms with a total retail value of more than $2 million.
