Existence Church, Monarch School and UPLIFT Ask Community to “Picture Yourself Fighting Poverty”

According the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, more than 384,778 thousand people in San Diego County live below the poverty level. This holiday season, Existence Church asks the community to “picture yourself fighting poverty” as the theme of its third annual Shoes That Fit drive to benefit Monarch School, one of only three schools in the U.S. for homeless children, and UPLIFT, a tutoring program for children of low-income families. Students and families will get to select their new shoes on December 12, 2010, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Monarch School during a holiday carnival held in their honor.

Existence Church aims to collect 800 pairs of shoes before the holiday carnival. Shoe donations may be made at Existence Church (7686-B Miramar Road), or via donations on the church’s Shoes That Fit Facebook cause page or on the Existence Church website .

As part of this year’s shoe drive, Existence Church launched a “picture yourself fighting poverty” Facebook campaign, which has raised over $1,000 to date, the proceeds of which will help purchase additional shoes and socks. Shoe drive participants are invited to take a picture after buying shoes and post it on the Facebook wall to “picture yourself fighting poverty.”

“The community has done a great job of encouraging their families, workplaces and friends to get involved,” said Josh Carter, Missional Pastor, Existence Church. “One college student asked her family to buy new shoes in lieu of birthday presents and they ended up buying out the entire shoe department at Kohl’s. We also have a teacher at SDSU who encouraged students to bring in shoes, and another student who involved her entire sorority by offering an hour of community service per pair of shoes brought in.”

Monarch School, dedicated to providing homeless and at-risk children with an accredited education while caring for their basic needs, and UPLIFT, a tutoring and mentoring program for low-income and racially diverse children, each serves over 150 students every year ranging from ages four to 19.

For more information about the Shoes That Fit drive and to learn how to “picture yourself fighting poverty”, visit online. For more information about Existence Church, visit online. For more information about the beneficiaries, visit Monarch School online and UPLIFT.

About Existence Church
Founded in 2003 in San Diego, Calif, the vision of Existence Church is to be a missional inclusive community. Through missions, ministries and life groups, Existence Church exists for the purpose of bringing God glory. For more information, visit online.

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