Karen is a former health care executive who left the corporate world to form a non-profit entity called Shoes for the Soul. The only daughter of a first-generation American family deeply steeped in their faith and charitable undertakings, Karen started on her path with a career in the area of immigration law focusing on consular visa, asylum and refugee work in the U.S., Turkey, Pakistan and Europe. Karen's early career included time at two of the country's top law firms, Patton, Boggs & Blow and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Washington, D.C.
In the spirit of giving, Karen has long pursued philanthropic interests. She has volunteered in Turkey for both the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and Amnesty International. Her volunteer work includes Special Olympics, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, The American Heart Association and Habitat for Humanity, as well as charitable committee endeavours with Food for the Poor and Catholic Charities.
In the Spring of 2002, Karen took a leave of absence from the corporate world to pursue other endeavours. Shortly thereafter, she founded Shoes for the Soul, Inc., an organization where she serves as President and Executive Director, responsible for the introduction, development, management and operations of this innovative, grassroots non-profit, whose mission is dedicated to placing a new pair of shoes on the feet of economically challenged children in South Florida. Via her initiative and partnering with Broward County Children's Services and the Homeless Education Program, Shoes for the Soul's first program was "Shoes for Homeless Children" which services children in 15 homeless shelters in Broward County, Florida.
In January of 2005, Karen was a recipient of Family Circle Magazine 7th Annual Halo Award "Women Who Make a Difference" in recognition for her extraordinary efforts to help others, which has led to interest of chapter affiliates in several states. Since launching the organization, Karen's initiatives have led to the distribution of over 25,000 pairs of new shoes through over 100 social service agencies, including homeless shelters, community based hospital organizations and other nonprofits serving children. She has been highlighted on Woman to Woman, Giving Woman of South Florida, appeared on NBC6 South Florida Today and in numerous stories in the Miami Herald and the Sun Sentinel. After asking Donald J. Pliner to help with her initiative, he became an Honorary Board member in 2003 and has been a great supporter of her efforts, hosting an annual fundraising event in his South Florida stores. Her success with Shoes for the Soul, Inc. and demand far and wide has lead to its growth beyond South Florida.
Via Karen's efforts, Shoes for the Soul has partnered with Miami's CBS Channel 4 Neighbors for Neighbors, to "kick-off" their Shoes for Africa campaign with a local international church, and provided over 4,200 pairs of shoes and boots for Kenya, which will be distributed in December 2005. Special distributions and initiatives are encouraged at Shoes for the Soul. On September 11, 2004, 22 pallets of work boots were distributed to men, woman and youth in South Florida allowing other nonprofits the opportunity to help their clients who were enrolled in work-related programs. Most recently, within days of Hurricane Katrina, over 600 pairs of women's canvas work boots were shipped to Biloxi, MS to aid with clean-up efforts with plans to ship an additional 1,000 pairs of shoes to the devastated region.
Today, Karen is a stepmother to five children and grandmother to three and lives with her husband, in South Florida.
Shoes for the Soul website is:
http://www.ShoesForTheSoul.org
Bridging's website is:
http://www.HeavenToEarth.com
Bridging's International Healing Art Project website is:
http://www.HeavenToEarthArt.com
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7:21Early Child Development - part 1by drmdk18,259 views
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