The Milwaukee Rescue Mission and Dr. Richard Marks, chief of foot and ankle surgery at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, recently teamed up to offer homeless men in Milwaukee free foot examinations and new socks and shoes, just in time for the winter season.
"I just think this is a terrific means of giving back to the community particularly to those individuals that don’t have access to health care or shoe wear," Marks said. "It just seemed to be one small way that I could get involved in that type of community giving project."
This is the second year for the program in Milwaukee, he said. The program was first started in 2005 by orthopedic physician Dr. Steve Conti in Pittsburgh, Pa., who partnered with the Soles for Souls organization to provide area homeless with basic foot care and shoes.
"That particular organization was known as ‘Our hearts to your soles,’" Marks said. "(Dr. Conti) reached out to a number of orthopedic physicians across the states to start similar programs."
This year, the organization is providing examinations in 40 different locations, Marks said.
"The program has really morphed into a large national effort to provide foot and ankle examinations, and shoes to disadvantaged individuals who don’t usually have that opportunity," he said.
More then 200 men visit the Safe Harbors men’s shelter at the Rescue Mission on a nightly basis. They come for educational and spiritual classes, for a hot meal or even to stay for the night.
The men that visited the shelter on Tuesday, Nov. 25, also received free foot examinations and a pair of new shoes.
Marks enlisted the services of a local organization, National Pedorthic Service Inc. of Milwaukee, to assist with the exams.
In conjunction with the Soles for Souls organization, Red Wing Shoe Company Inc, and New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc., donated between 250 and 300 pairs of shoes for the evening, a donor who wishes to remain anonymous helped Marks procure around 300 pairs of socks for the men and Bayside Middle School’s seventh grade class also collected long underwear that will be provided to the Rescue Mission as well, Marks said.
"This is really what Thanksgiving and the holiday seasons are all about," Marks said. "It has been very touching to see how people are more then happy to contribute to these disadvantaged individuals, it is very humbling when you see the reaction of some of the men, it’s really what giving means."
