Sole searchers from Pine team up with K-LOVE to ensure girls in need are outfitted for prom with dresses and shoes

Don and Michelle Simon of Pine have collected more than 20,000 pairs of donated shoes over the last three years, including many pairs of high heels and formal women's shoes.

Most of their shoes go to Milwaukee-based charity Soles for Jesus, which sends them to underserved populations in Africa, but not all of them.

“We kept getting all these pink, sparkly high heels or stilettos and I kept thinking, there's somebody who needs these shoes,” Michelle Simon said. “I'm just going to keep saving them until we find out who that is.”

Last year the Simons found a home for their high heels after teaming up with Christian radio station K-LOVE for its annual Bless-A-Dress prom dress giveaway.

The prom dress giveaway is open to any girl who needs a prom dress, said Nicole Namachar, lead promotions manager at K-LOVE. K-LOVE collects donated new or gently used dresses throughout January and February, giving the girls more than 1,000 dresses to choose from and 300-400 heels and other formal shoes from the Simons.

All the girls need to do is show up, get a ticket and enjoy light refreshments and giveaways before their ticket number is called. A volunteer personal shopper will take each girl around to pick out any dresses they want to try on and help them choose the right one.

“We don't just want them to find a dress. We want them to find a dress they feel beautiful in,” Namachar said.

There's no income requirements and no questions asked, Namachar said. The goal is to get prom dresses in the hands of girls who need them.

“This was one of the most fulfilling things we've ever done,” Don Simon said of helping out with the event last year. “I have teenagers, so I know how it is. These girls were so appreciative. It was heartfelt.”

Don and Michelle Simon began collecting shoes in 2014 to send to needy people in Africa through the Soles for Jesus nonprofit based in Milwaukee. They set up nine drop-sites at businesses and other locations throughout the North Hills and Cranberry.

They sent 3,000 shoes their first year, 8,000 shoes in 2015 and they shipped 10,000 pairs in November, Don Simon said.

However, winter boots, flip-flops, slippers and high-heeled women's shoes could not go to Soles for Jesus as they were not needed in Africa or would not hold up during the shipping process.

Then Michelle heard about the Bless-A-Dress event while listening to K-LOVE and knew where the shoes could go.

K-LOVE began hosting its annual prom dress drive and giveaway three years ago. Last year they served more than 300 girls and hope to reach even more this year.

“We'd love to get that number up,” Namachar said. “We just want to help you feel beautiful and help you get ready for prom.”

For more information on the Simon's shoe drives, visit solesearchers.org and for more information on Bless-A-Dress, visit klove.com/events.

Rachel Farkas is a Tribune- Review contributor.