SEPTEMBER 5 • 2024 | 25
J
N

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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

