SEPTEMBER 5 • 2024 | 25
J
N
W
hile watching an eve-
ning news segment of
WDIV Local 4 with his
wife, Jackie, Serta Restokraft CEO
Larry Kraft saw a program about a
charity called Lace Up Detroit.
The mattress industry leader was
drawn to the mission of donating
new shoes to underserved children
and women in Detroit who either
don’t have shoes at all or have shoes
that fit improperly.
Since its inception in 2015, Lace
Up Detroit has distributed more
than 8,000 pairs of shoes and win-
ter boots. Shoes range from school
shoes to career shoes to even slip-
pers and athletic shoes.
Kraft, a Jewish community mem-
ber passionate about philanthropy,
decided to get involved.
“My wife and I were watching
Devin Scillian during dinner,
” Kraft
recalls. “He began to talk about
‘Shoes for School.
’ As I listened,
my wife and I both felt the need to
do something special to provide
brand-new shoes to Detroit chil-
dren.
”
Kraft phoned Lace Up Detroit
and spoke to president Suzanne
Seitz. “
After hearing how close they
were to their financial goal, I made
a decision to donate $15,000 to help
provide an additional 600 shoes,
”
he says. “I also offered to call a very
dear friend and business partner
and request a matching gift.
”
That friend was fellow Jewish
community member Rachel
Stewart, CEO of Gardner White.
As the fourth-generation leader
of the 112-year-old family-owned
and-operated furniture business,
Stewart agreed to donate an addi-
tional $15,000 to Lace Up Detroit
to match Kraft’s gift.
Similarly, Serta Restokraft is 111
years old, and both businesses have
deep roots in the Jewish communi-
ty and giving back to those in need.
By working together, they were
able to donate a total of $30,000 to
Lace Up Detroit, or the equivalent
of 1,200 pairs of shoes for women
and kids.
“Family and community are at
the heart of everything we do at
Gardner White,
” Stewart says. “So,
when Larry reached out to join
forces to support the amazing work
of Lace Up Detroit, we were all in.
”
Now, hundreds of Detroit chil-
dren in need can kick off the new
school year with a new pair of
shoes.
“
As students head back to school,
a brand-new pair of shoes provides
both comfort and confidence,
”
Stewart says.
“We can only imagine the emo-
tional feeling a child has,
” Kraft
adds, “of receiving a brand-new
pair of shoes that actually fit for the
first time.
”
You can donate to the cause at
laceupdetroit.org.
Serta Restokraft CEO and Gardner White
CEO donate $30,000 to Lace Up Detroit.
Furniture Giants Join
Forces to Give Back
ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Larry
Kraft
Rachel
Stewart
LACE UP DETROIT
“AS STUDENTS HEAD
BACK TO SCHOOL,
A BRAND-NEW PAIR
OF SHOES PROVIDES
BOTH COMFORT AND
CONFIDENCE.”
— RACHEL STEWART