Dallas police, companies step up to ‘Share the Shoes'

Cops on the beat in Dallas did something good the other day when they joined forces with two companies to put shoes on the feet of hundreds of kids.

More than 500 children will head back to school with new shoes thanks to a partnership between the police department's northwest, north central, and central patrol divisions and Dallas-based Energy Transfer and Sunoco LP.

Employees jumped in and worked together to donate $10,000 worth of sneakers, then showed up to help kids get the right fit.

"It's very meaningful to hear the first-hand stories from these officers who witness the disparities that exist in our Dallas neighborhoods and are inspired to make a difference. Energy Transfer is proud to be a Dallas-based company and support initiatives that help strengthen our local community-especially programs like this that help support the safety of our officers and children by building positive relationships within the communities they serve. We are very grateful for the selfless and often dangerous work that our police officers do, and we're proud to continue our relationship with the Dallas Police Department," Chris Curia, Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer of Energy Transfer said in a news release.

The annual Share the Shoes initiative started in 2017 with Officer Brian Nolff. The inspiration behind the shoe donation came from officers in patrol who encountered children that did not have proper footwear. While children get much-needed shoes, officers get the chance to build positive relationships within the community.

"Over the years, many of these kids have gotten to know and recognize us through this initiative. It's about creating positive relationships with police officers and learning that we are here to help. When we're out on patrol, we often run into families in difficult financial situations and we want to be able to help. Partnering up with Energy Transfer over the past 6 years with the "Share the shoes" campaign has helped thousands of families relieve some of that financial stress," Senior Corporal Jose Gamez said, in a news release.

Leftover shoes are saved by the police departments to provide to families in need that they meet during patrols and calls.