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Ava Gibbons and Drew Janes, students in the Tucson, Arizona, area, smile with bags of donated shoes they helped to collect. By the beginning of June 2025, more than 2,400 pairs of shoes were donated and will be given to Funds2Orgs. Photo by Rachel Janes, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.
By Jackie Asher, Church News
One fifth grader in Arizona gathered more than 2,400 pairs of shoes for donation by early June 2025 after being assigned to carry out a “kindness project” in one of his classes.
Judy Powell, a JustServe specialist in the Tucson, Arizona, area, said service projects are powerful when Primary children get involved.
“Primary children … bring a sense of creativity, enthusiasm and pure intent that inspires everyone around them,” Powell said. “They often act with simple faith and a strong desire to help, becoming powerful examples to their peers, families and communities.”
Drew Janes, a student in the Marana Unified School District, partnered with Funds2Orgs, which pays shoe donors by the weight of their donation. He plans to donate the money to the Marana Unified School District Family Resource Center.
“I could help raise money without asking for money. People have to get rid of shoes anyway, so it’s not like you are asking so much of them,” he said. “It’s a win-win situation.”
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Drew Janes stands with bags of donated shoes in his home in Marana, Arizona, in March 2025. Janes collected over 2,400 pairs of shoes, which will be donated to Funds2Orgs. Photo by Rachel Janes, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.At the end of March, Janes put shoe collection boxes at three elementary schools, a gym, a physical therapy office, a rock climbing gym and a church/preschool.
Just when donations hit a lull, Ava Gibbons caught wind of the project.
Gibbons, another student in the Tucson area, had been inspired by an invitation to serve from Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the February Friend to Friend broadcast.
She reflected on his quote: “The whole point of service is to help us bless other people because that is what Jesus did. And if we are His disciples, we should be looking for opportunities to serve and bless other people.”
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Ava Gibbons smiles with the donated shoes she collected in Marana, Arizona. She collected over 170 pairs of shoes in early 2025. Photo by Colette McCullough, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.Gibbons and her mom looked on JustServe — a platform where project organizers can post volunteer needs — to find a service project to contribute to.
“I was trying to find something that everyone could participate in because then they would get the opportunity to serve and feel good,” Gibbons said.
When Gibbons saw Janes’ shoe drive posted, she thought it was the perfect project.
“Everyone is growing, so they could give us the old shoes that they have,” said Gibbons.
Gibbons got to work by making a flyer calling for donations and filming videos with her stuffed animals explaining the shoe drive.
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A poster created by Ava Gibbons calls for shoe donations in Marana, Arizona. Gibbons collected over 170 pairs of shoes in the spring of 2025. Photo by Colette McCullough, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.The shoe donations started pouring in. Gibbons said people gave her shoes at school, brought them to her house and left them on their doorsteps to be picked up.
Gibbons’ goal was to collect 100 pairs of shoes. The first time she counted the donations, she already had 120.
By the time she was ready to hand her collected shoes over to Janes, Gibbons had 170 pairs.
“I was so overwhelmed with happiness,” Janes said about receiving Gibbons’ donation.
Gibbons sent a picture of herself with all the donated shoes and an audio message of gratitude to everyone who donated a pair of shoes.
By the beginning of June, Janes had collected 2,400 pairs of shoes. His goal is to reach 2,500 pairs of shoes by the end of June, which would earn $1,000 from Funds2Orgs for his school district.
Powell reflected that Janes and Gibbons’ story teaches that even one child can make a difference.
“No one is too young to serve like Jesus did.”
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