Making Kids Count hands out boots to area children

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

A Boardman-based non-profit group is trying to ensure students who may not have access to winter boots keep their feet warm this winter.

Members of Making Kids Count’s board of directors handed out 241 pairs of winter boots to students in Mahoning County schools Wednesday.

“We try to fill in gaps that we hear about,” said program director Colleen Eisenbraun. She said the organization was aware of efforts to get winter coats to area kids in need, but boots were not covered.

Making Kids Count’s first stop of the day was Austintown Elementary. Kids came in to the school office and tried on their new boots. Caleb Brown, one of the students, said he’s feeling good about this winter. “I like to make a snowman, and then destroy it, and then dive into it,” he said.

This year, Making Kids Count is handing out 404 pairs of boots and winter socks to students in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

“The first year we did this, there were so many kids that didn’t have socks on,” Eisenbraun said. “That was in January. Ever since then, we’ve made sure to include those.”

The organization has received grants from the Italian Scholarship Foundation since 2015 to purchase winter boots for their Best Foot Forward program.

This year the foundation donated $15,000, and its only stipulation from the beginning was that the boots have to be made in the U.S. Jana Coffin, co-president of Making Kids Count, said when someone comes to the board with an idea to help children, the nonprofit makes sure it happens.