Foothills Community Church efforts secure shoes, socks, food for Clinton Middle School students

Posted May 15, 2019 at 12:07 pm


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Last Wednesday, every student at Clinton County Middle School was presented with a pair of shoes and a pair of socks as part of an outreach program by Foothills Community Church.

Larry Downing is the pastor at FCC and told the NEWS he had picked the middle school because he thought there was a need there.

“I applied for the grant and got it,” Downing said. “We had to measure their feet and we were also able to get Bomba socks,” Downing said. “Majors Pizza gave us a really good break on pizzas and IGA and Save-A-Lot donated waters, so they are going to have pizza and water along with getting shoes and socks.”

Downing said his church wants to give back to the community and believes this is a great way to do that.

“There’s a thing in our church called ‘Rural Compassion’ which is part of a bigger disaster relief program that we have,” Downing said. “Rural Compassion is for ministering in small communities and small areas

with all kinds of things.”

Downing said as a church, they have adopted the middle school.

“We are going to be doing things throughout the year for the teachers,”

Downing said. “We are going to be able to get school supplies and we

can raise money for backpacks and things like that. It’s a way to put

shoe leather to the gospel.”

Downing believes you can have a good church and have good

church services, but it’s what you do outside the church that makes it

better.

“We are a church without walls. I’m hoping by doing this we

can inspire other churches,” Downing said. “Teachers shouldn’t have

to buy supplies and we can meet the needs of this school. They

shouldn’t have to worry if this kid is being fed or have supplies. We

live in an area where the parents aren’t meeting the needs of the kids and some of them can’t. The church can step in … businesses can step in. We can win them for the Lord if they aren’t serving Christ. That’s what Jesus did. He fed the 5,000 while He taught them. We are seeing a need and we are going to try and meet that need.”

Principal Angela Sloan said this is a good program because it brings the community into the school.

“When you’re not in here working in it and seeing it everyday, you don’t really understand the needs that are here,” Sloan said. “I think getting the community to come in and be actively involved is really important. It’s not just about asking for money. I know sometimes they think all we want is money, but sometimes it’s about having those people.”

Sloan said it’s been great to see someone go the extra mile for the kids in Clinton County.

“You may not think that it means a lot or they may not show it, but I think it does,” Sloan said. “I see it all as a big plus.”

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Above, CCMS students learn about the shoe donation program from Principal Angela Sloan before the giveaway begins. Below left, Sloan helps pass out the donated socks that were also included in the program. Sloan said there was a definate need for the program in the middle school and expressed her gratitude for the donation.

Below right, Bro. Larry Downing spoke to the fifth grade class just before the new shoes and socks were distributed to the students.