In 2015, five women leaders embraced the opportunity to engage in the community and translate their love for shoes and giving back. The result was the formation of Lace Up Detroit, a charity that provides new shoes to underserved children and women. Since Inception, we’ve distributed over 8,000 pairs of shoes and winter boots

Providing a head start to success through the power of new shoes and boots from preschool to career (everything from school shoes, winter boots, athletic shoes, and slippers) for underserved children and women. 

 Lace Up Detroit is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. EIN: 47-5204205

Lace Up Detroit  managed and run  by an entirely volunteer working board, enabling all donations to go directly to purchase shoes and boots.

The charity has developed relationships with manufacturers to buy shoes and boots at wholesale and gain even greater discounts through volume pricing. 

All shoes and boots are then distributed through these charity partners in metro Detroit who focus on helping  underserved children and women.

Charity Partners

• Starfish Family Services – Inkster and Detroit
• Vista Maria – Dearborn Heights
• Haven – Pontiac
• Special Olympics of Michigan – Detroit
• Alternatives for Girls - Detroit
• Career Dress - Pontiac

“On behalf of the women we serve, please accept my gratitude for the recent donation of sneakers and boots.  They will really boost our current inventory of these items at the Career Dress boutique. 

Our clients are already benefiting from the donated footwear. We recently gave a pair of boots to a young pregnant woman who was both thrilled and humbled to receive a brand new pair of on-trend boots.”  —Karen Lockman and the Career Dress Team

“Who doesn’t love shopping for new shoes? The volunteers of Lace Up Detroit have been sharing the joy of friendship and shoe shopping with our youth since 2015. Founded by five caring women, driven to translate their love for shoes into community service, Lace Up Detroit provides new shoes to children and women in need. Each spring and fall, Lace Up Detroit donates stylish and seasonal shoes for every young person in our care.

With their annual fall gift, volunteers also come to campus to host “Boots & Bites,” a shopping event with music, food, and of course, lots of shoes! This year, shearling boots and Crocs-style clogs were the most popular requests and Lace Up Detroit delivered in a big way! Every youth on campus received shoes to keep them warm and comfy all season long. We are so grateful to Lace Up Detroit for everything they do to help our young people rebuild their self-confidence!” —Vista Maria

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