Friday, Jul. 04, 2008

Need for shoes growing as fast as kids

By MICHAEL HINES

News-Mirror Writer

The demand for her charity work of providing shoes to low-income youths has grown nearly as much as Bernita Tyler-Scott’s commitment to the cause.

For more than two decades, "Shoes for My Children" has been providing footwear and clothing to low-income families. Items are set to be given away in August, but donations are being accepted until the end of July. In particular, Tyler-Scott really needs size 14 boy shoes and size 11 girls. She hopes to have 2,500 pairs of shoes. Right now, she has only about 170.

Last year, Tyler-Scott distributed 2,200 pairs. The associate pastor at Full Gospel Holy Deliverance Church hopes to duplicate the effort this go round but sees troubling signs.

"Things are so much worse this year. So many mothers are going to be going without," she said, adding that the problems really hit home when she saw a homeless boy in Dallas recently. "He looked like he was just eating food out of a Dumpster. I know things are getting worse. I just ask the community to help."

Several groups help the effort, such as the Rotary Club, Texas Trust, Huckabee and Associates architecture firm, and the 344th Air Force Recruiting Squadron in Arlington. Helping just makes sense, said Marie Mumme, president of the Women’s Division Foundation of the Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce. The group recently gave Tyler-Scott $500 toward the shoe program and plans a raffle to shore up more funds as well as had a shoe drive last month with another planned this month.

"Anything that has anything to do with women and children, we’re a big supporter of it," she said, adding that Tyler-Scott’s work has been inspiring. "I admire her dedication, continuing to do this year after year. It really only takes going the day of the event to see how important the program is."

Tyler-Scott’s effort got under way in the 1980s, when she was living in Dallas and attending the House of Prayer Church. A boy no older than 13 came to her.

"The kids were always laughing at him. His shoes were all beat and dark, the shoe strings were coming out of them, and they had holes at the top of them," she said. "He was just tired of the kids laughing at him."

Tyler-Scott purchased a pair of shoes for the child, but soon had other requests from the neighborhood.

"All the other kids started coming to me," Tyler-Scott said.

The need prompted Tyler-Scott to take on the task of finding apparel for the youths. She worked as a disc jockey for KNON radio station in Dallas until this May. She sold her Cadillac when things were just getting started, and the $3,000 she received went mostly toward shoe purchases. She asked church members to also help. As the work progressed, Tyler-Scott saw how the charity helped those in need.

"I’ve seen mothers actually in tears because they knew they were not going to be able to get the shoes and clothing" otherwise, Tyler-Scott said.

Her efforts have also garnered some praise. In 2005, Tyler-Scott was recognized by the state House of Representatives and Senate. She has also received the Jefferson Award for Public Service. For Tyler-Scott, though, divine inspiration has been the guiding force.

"When I was a kid, I was real sickly, and as I lay on the bed, I had a vision," she said. "An angel showed me what I would be doing in my life: helping kids was one of the things."

She estimates that she has given out about 30,000 pairs of shoes since the project began, using two cities for distribution: Mansfield and Dallas. Her Mansfield home serves as the operational headquarters. The program is mostly a family affair, with her father and daughter helping with the effort. She has three children, all grown. In Mansfield, Shoes for My Children distributes wares from Sells Service Station, Flowers and Gift Shoppe and John Schmidt Family Medicine, all on Main Street. This year, the distribution is set for 10 a.m. Aug. 9.

The work has been a big help for her daughters and herself, said Willie Skinner. The 84-year-old retiree lives across the street from Tyler-Scott.

"They just wear out, and I’m not able to buy shoes as I would like to," she said, adding that Tyler-Scott’s work has been great. "I don’t think we could have anything better out here."