Stepp'n Up Shoes For Kids - Giving to others is contagious!

Often times, charitable work can have a "snowball" type effect that leads to other wonderful things being done for those who need help. Over the years, Stepp'n Up has had that effect on people. Most notably, in 2000, philanthropist Lois Pope donated $10 million to the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. When asked what her inspiration was for her unbelievable gift, Mrs. Pope vividly remembered that she had read an article about Stepp'n Up and the work Eric Perlyn was doing to help children in the community. She said that Eric was her life link and had connected her to helping others.

It has been said that no one helps others without helping themselves in the process. This is so true, as evidenced by the words in a thank you letter from Operation Smile in Honduras, an organization that repairs facial deformities to children in different parts of the world:

I cannot express to you how much the children and parents appreciated your generous gift of new shoes. We gave them out every morning in the post-op ward before the children were discharged. By the second or third day, parents were lined up with their children waiting to receive shoes before I even arrived at the hospital at 7am. Mothers and fathers of children would tug at my shirtsleeves and say, "Zapatos, zapatos." A lot of the children came to the hospital in Honduras in bare feet or a dirty pair of socks but all of them left wearing a brand new pair of shoes. The happiness and appreciation seen in the faces of the children and their parents were priceless. Not only were the shoes adorable but also a necessity that the parents would not have been able to afford. Your contribution was invaluable and greatly appreciated by all who received them.

Receiving this note was so uplifting and made all of us feel incredibly good!

More extraordinary donors share their stories

Amanda Perlyn with shoe donations ready for delivery to hundreds of kids in need.