Piedmont girl using birthday wish for expanding shoe drive

"It makes me happy to see other kids that get their shoes," she said.

The doors to what is formally called "Kendall's Closet" are always open to help children in need.

She has given away more than 1,000 pairs of shoes to children in West Virginia as part of mission work through Generation 4 Hope, a Stoneville-based group.

She has also donated shoes to help people in Lumberton.

Her generosity doesn't stop there -- she's making a difference locally too.

Since last Christmas, she's been working with Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen of Asheboro.

"We gave out about 100 pairs of shoes to the children in our community, all by her doing," said Michael Trogdon, director of Our Daily Bread.

That was part of last year's Christmas Day celebration.

Since then, Kendall and her family have partnered with Our Daily Bread to meet an ongoing need.

Kendall is getting ready to give local children another special Christmas, but to do that, she wants to fill more boxes with shoes.

She will celebrate her eighth birthday this month, and this year, Kendall has one request in lieu of presents at her party.

"On my birthday, I don't want anything but shoes for Kendall's closet," she said.

That gesture makes Kendall's family proud.

"She said I would like for them to give me shoes instead of presents because I have everything that I need, and as a parent you're supposed to be leading them, but she's leading us," her mother Brandi Hagerman said.

Kendall plans to return to West Virginia in December.

She will split donations between there and the Piedmont.

If you would like to donate shoes, you can drop them off at Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen located on Pritchard Street in Asheboro.