Sole to Soul ministry reaches hundreds of children in need

Published 1:37 pm Monday, July 28, 2025

THOMASVILLE — Covenant Christian Center held its largest outreach program on Saturday. Initially dubbed the Sole to Soul campaign, which provides children in need with shoes and a Bible, the event has grown into a community staple, with various organizations sponsoring needed shoes, hygiene kits, school supplies, and prayer for a great school year.

Pastor Hardy Clayton and Lady Cheree Clayton envisioned the event three years ago after Hardy felt a calling from God.

“God laid it on our heart to do something different,” Cheree said. “So many people do the back-to-school backpacks, which is great, but we knew there was a greater need with the population we serve.”

Cheree explained that the church regularly receives calls from individuals in need of shoes and clothing, leading to the idea of a shoe giveaway.

“We did our first one and gave away about 70 pairs of shoes, but last year it grew,” Cheree said.

Due to its growth, last year’s shoe giveaway required registration. However, Cheree noticed that during the event, kids were still showing up in need, despite not having registered.

“It was getting bigger than I ever expected, so God told me to reach out to a couple of businesses and see if they would want to be a sponsor or make a donation,” Cheree said.

Those calls led to support from the Thomasville Police Department and Juneteenth of Thomasville, along with silent partnerships to help purchase needed items for children to feel confident and comfortable at school.

“People are calling us now to ask what they can do to be a part of this,” Cheree said. “God has really touched a part of the community, and we are so grateful to bless the children in need.”

Through their combined efforts, Covenant Christian Center provided shoes to 218 registrants.

But the event didn’t stop at just shoes.

Juneteenth of Thomasville provided hygiene kits for those students in attendance, while the Thomasville Police Department gave pencil pouches with school supplies to students.

For those kids who didn’t register, but still were in need of shoes, Cheree and her team took down the child’s name and number.

“We are more than likely going to be able to bless them, because we have some extra shoes on site,” she said. “For the sizes we don’t have, we have been so fortunate to receive a grant from the TCDC and take that money to bless the children who didn’t register before school starts.”

This grant not only ensures children receive shoes, but also provides an opportunity for hundreds of children to receive the gospel.

“We’re not just trying to give away a free pair of shoes,” Cheree said. “We want to touch your soul, and we figure this is a great way to get not only kids involved, but their parents involved.”

Each child who receives a pair of shoes is also given a Bible.

“Our prayer is that they will go back and share the Bible with their friends and family and read it with them,” Cheree said. “That is our number one goal.”

Seeing the number of lives the church has been able to touch has been a blessing to Cheree, but she said she is not done yet.

“I anticipate every year for it to continue growing,” she said. “We are going to outgrow the Covenant Christian Center Parking lot, but I have faith that God is truly going to multiply, and we will have to utilize the Amphitheater or the Fairgrounds.”

Cheree’s ultimate goal is to serve 500 children, meeting both their physical and spiritual needs.