Our Core Values

Many years ago as I was frequently attending hockey games in Los Angeles, I noticed all the homeless people on my long walk to the arena from a downtown parking lot. It broke my heart seeing people with blistered, swollen and dirty feet. For those fortunate enough to have socks or shoes, they were often filthy, torn and many times the wrong size. One night, I handed a woman on the street, whose feet were exposed and bruised, a pair of socks; she smiled and said, “God Bless you.” It was at this point, I turned to God for guidance and wisdom as to how I can make a greater impact in the lives of the homeless. After that, I would take socks with me to games and periodically hand them out to people living on the streets. Since that time, I have volunteered to work with the homeless in different capacities numerous times throughout the years.

During my years as a music teacher, I would take my young students to sing at assisted living facilities for
seniors. I would see the joy on the faces of the elderly as they watched the children perform. It not only
brought joy to the children but gave them a sense of compassion and wanting to help. In later years, the idea of giving socks and shoes to the elderly resonated with me while I visited my mother in an assisted living facility as she battled Alzheimer’s. As I looked around the facility I envisioned the residents wearing comfy slippers, warm “booties” and quality shoes.
 

Through my mother’s passion for giving to the Danny Thomas Foundation, it also became my desire to make donations to help children with serious illnesses. In 2016, I was reminded of a child’s struggle with serious illness while taking my husband for radiation treatments. The adults went through one door from the lobby, and all the children through another door for their treatment. It was heartbreaking to see kids going for cancer treatments and catching a glimpse of only some of what they had to endure as opposed to seeing them living carefree.
 

In more recent years, I started following posts about veterans and their needs. I then began trying to help with cards and care packages but found myself not doing as much as I hoped. Keeping up with news about veterans in my community has given me a better understanding of the challenges they face and how new shoes can add quality to their life.
 

Looking back on the people I interacted with and supported over the years, I came to realize there were
specific populations that I was consistently passionate about helping. This passion evolved into wanting to create a business to touch the lives of the populations that helped shape my life experiences. While the need for sock and shoes for the homeless is evident, it became obvious to me that socks and shoes would be a blessing to those populations that made an imprint on my heart as they would bring them warmth, protection, stability, comfort and Joy!

With my sister, Lynne’s, strong will and support and her drive to help so many people, she encouraged me to seek out my vision. Lynne brings decades of experience working with at-risk youth and feels strongly about the benefits socks and shoes could bring to them. Seeing her years of dedication to these children, I knew this population needed to be included in our company. Leaning on our Christian faith and trusting in God, together we created Blessings for Your Soles (BFYS).

 

Janet Buettner
Founder/Executive Director