The Hockley County Credit Union (HCCU) is currently taking donations for its 3rd annual shoe drive, asking that community members wishing to give bring their donations to the HCCU office at 504 Clubview Drive in Levelland before July 31st.
The drive allows the HCCU to give back to the community through collecting and distributing new shoes to families across the county. Donations can include shoes or money and are set to be distributed at Capitol Elementary on August 1st, during its annual backpack giveaway.
Angie Vest, HCCU marketing and operations, says that she and Russell Vest, HCCU CEO, started the drive in 2024. “We were celebrating 70 years as a credit union, so each month we tried to do something for the community, so we started the drive thinking it was just gonna be for that year.”
Working alongside the Hockley County VOICES Coalition, which gave out backpacks each year, the shoe drive received overwhelming participation. “People loved it, so we decided to keep it every year,” says Angie Vest.
That year, she recalls around 200 pairs of shoes being donated, and that by the end of the drive, they had run out.
“We try to get more now, so we don’t run out. Right now we’re lower on shoes but have more money donations. I expect more shoe donations within the coming month. I’ve sent out emails and have advertised on social media. Hopefully we’ll have more pretty quick.”
Angie Vest notes that they have received sizable monetary donations this year from the Progressive Women’s Club, Galen and Debra Weir, the Noon Lions Club and, of course, the credit union. The Levelland High School National Honor Society (NHS) also made shoe donations for their April Community Service Project.
She explains that, at the end of the drive, when they begin sorting shoes by size, HCCU takes the money donations to buy the shoe sizes that are missing. “In the past, we’ve also given out Walmart gift cards to kids if we didn’t have their sizes.”
She also notes that they need donations of all shoe sizes, from pre-K level through high school. “We ask that the shoes be new, so that they will last the kids longer, and that they are functional for school and school activities like PE,” she says, adding that tennis shoes are a particularly good option.
In regard to distribution, with the Hockley County VOICES Coalition recently disbanded, the HCCU now plans to work with a local educators’ group to give out shoes on August 1st. The requirements and distribution process will remain the same as in previous years, with a drive-through line where parents will fill out a card regarding their child’s shoe size, age group and gender, and volunteers working to match the shoe to that information.
When asked what kind of impact the shoe drive has on the community, Angie Vest said that though she has heard no personal stories from donatees, the Levelland High School Cheerleaders who help with the drive have mentioned that when “the kiddo in the back seat gets a new pair of shoes, they are really excited about it.”
“With things getting so expensive, simple things like buying new shoes for your kid can be a burden to parents, and we are lifting that burden off the parents, as well as the burden to buy school supplies. It can be very helpful.”
Ultimately, Angie Vest says that people look forward to the shoe drive each year. “People ask throughout the year if we’re gonna do it. They tell me things like, ‘I found some shoes on clearance that I think would be great for the drive.’ It has become an expectation in the community.”