The Arizona Lottery and Soles 2 Souls recently donated 500 pairs of shoes to those experiencing homelessness.

Soles 2 Souls is a teen-led nonprofit that provides quality shoes to those in need with this month’s donation going to Central Arizona Shelter Services.

“Soles2Souls is thrilled to be partnering with CASS again for our biggest distribution to date. We are committed, with the support of the Arizona Lottery, to be providing 500 pairs of shoes to individuals living in the shelter services at CASS,” Soles 2 Souls Executive Director Jake Krotonsky said.

Through its ongoing partnership with Soles 2 Souls, the Arizona Lottery has committed $25,000 “to provide a substantial supply of shoes to non-profit organizations in the Valley,” according to a release.

“In 2023 our community lost 190 homeless individuals due to heat-related deaths and 645 throughout our county. These are our neighbors and together we must continue to engage on a systematic scale to protect our vulnerable clients,” CASS Interim CEO Philip Scharf said.

“Access to heat-relief essentials is health. We are incredibly grateful to Soles 2 Souls for their commitment to our community and to the Arizona Lottery for investing in this partnership.”

CASS is Arizona’s largest and longest-serving emergency shelter program, and it has served people experiencing homelessness for more than 40 years, the release stated.

For more: www.ArizonaLottery.com/GivesBack, www.soles2souls.com, www.cassaz.org.

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