Making a Difference : One College’s Approach: Help That Fits

One of three children in the Pomona School District lives below the poverty line; since April, more than 400 students at Pomona’s Roosevelt Elementary School have received shoes and clothing through a simple, practical program created at Claremont’s Harvey Mudd College.

AT the Start Harvey Mudd College financial aid coordinator Elodie Silva heard that many students’ families from Pomona’s Roosevelt Elementary School couldn’t afford shoes. With alumni Becky Low and John Shortles, Silva started a program called “Shoes That Fit.” Almost immediately the program expanded to include other basic clothing items. The Shoes That Fit program has grown to include three of the five Claremont Colleges and youngsters at four additional elementary schools in the Pomona Unified School District.

The Process 1. Rosie Sanchez, the community liaison at Roosevelt, collects children’s names and clothing or shoe needs from teachers. 2. Information is written on cards an pinned to a college bulletin board near a campus dining hall. Cards say, for example, “David--size 8, solid-colored shirt with collar” or Michelle--size 6 shoes.” Special instructions are included on cards. For example, items need to conform to school rules against display of gang colors. 3. Students, faculty or staff take a card, purchase the item and return it and the card to one of several contact people on campus. Cards are seldom posted for more than a day before someone from the college responds. 4. A college student delivers clothing and shoes to Roosevelt once a week.