Getting a Leg Up on Back-to-School Shoes

Creston News

 

She lived in sandals all summer long and he barely took his cleats off, even to go to bed. Summer fun and casual style may leave your kids facing back-to-school season in serious need of some new shoes.

"Notebooks, pens and new clothes aren't the only fresh supplies children need when heading back to school. Quality childrens shoes that provide the support growing feet need are among the most important purchases on any back-to-school shopping list," says Dr. Kathleen Stone, president of the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).

While your kids will certainly have something to say about the style of shoes they want, back-to-school shoe shopping isn't child's play. Parents should consider several important factors before buying new shoes for their children, the APMA advises.

* Take your child shoe shopping with you, rather than buying something without your child present. Every pair of kids shoes fits differently and buying something in your child's size doesn't necessarily ensure a proper, comfortable fit. Measure your child's feet (both of them, since feet are rarely exactly the same size) and have her try the shoes on. Plus, letting a child have a say in the shoe-buying process can help ensure she adopts healthy foot habits later in life. Children's foot health is as important as adult foot health.

* Feet swell later in the day, so it's best to try on shoes for boys and girls later in the day when feet are their largest.

* When evaluating a shoe, look for a stiff heel. Press on both sides of the heel counter to measure for stiffness; it shouldn't collapse. The shoe should bend with your child's toes. It shouldn't be too stiff or bend too much in the toe box area. It should also be rigid, and should never twist in the middle.

* Don't rely on last year's shoes. Children's feet grow like the rest of their bodies. Shoe and sock sizes may change every few months as their feet grow. Even if last season's shoes are in good condition, they likely won't fit properly after several months of your child's feet growing.

* Never hand down footwear. A used shoe may be the right size for your child, but still might not fit comfortably, especially if it's seen a lot of wear and tear. Just because the shoe fit one child comfortably, doesn't mean it will fit another the same way. Also, sharing shoes can spread foot fungi like athlete's foot and nail fungus.

* Buy for the larger foot. Mismatched feet are more common than not. Measure your child's feet to see which is larger and select shoes that best fit the larger foot.

* Choose shoes that are comfortable right away. Avoid shoes that need a "break-in" period. And be sure your child tries shoes on while wearing the type of socks he'll be wearing with the shoes on a regular basis.

"Healthy feet and comfortable shoes play important roles in children's overall health," Stone says. "Parents should monitor their children's foot health and seek the advice of a podiatrist if they notice a problem. Podiatrists are specially trained to diagnose and treat ailments of the foot and ankles in people of all ages." Occasionally, custom shoe inserts may be required.

Donated Shoes to Help Haitian Earthquake Victims

The Hub

RED BANK NJ -- Borough officials, schools and businesses are working in tandem to help the people of Haiti by collecting much-needed gently used shoes

A drive is being coordinated in conjunction with the nonprofit international organization Soles4Souls, Councilman Michael DuPont with the Borough Council’s Education and Technology Committee, borough schools and local businesses.

A townwide collection to gather shoes for victims of the recent earthquake will be held on March 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Red Bank Middle School on Harding Road.

According to DuPont, there are 1.2 billion shoes that sit in closets unused and more than 300 million people in the world without shoes.

In these economic times, DuPont said a good lesson to learn is that people can make a positive difference without digging into their pockets.

“You don’t have to have money to make an impact,” DuPont said. “It’s a great opportunity for our kids to help those in need.”

DuPont explained that children are the driving force behind the effort.

“This is a wonderful community service project. The people of Red Bank can make a huge impact,” he said. “This teaches our kids to be someone that others can depend on.”

All of the schools located in the borough have drop-boxes and are aiding in the initiative.

“It’s a great opportunity to engage our kids in the concept of giving back,” said Red Bank School Superintendent Laura C. Morana.

“It’s about the school system getting involved to make a difference,” DuPont added.

Men’s, women’s and kids shoes off all sizes and varieties can be dropped off at several locations, including all municipal facilities and borough schools, prior to March 6. Several downtown businesses are also participating in the program as drop-off sites.

DuPont said that following the collection day H&M Trucking Co. of Edison would transport the shoes to Soles4Souls headquarters in Nashville for distribution.

Donated shoes must be in good condition with no holes, separated soles or missing laces.

Soles4Souls partners with individuals, companies and charities around the country to hold footwear drives to help needy people around the world. The company also partners with footwear companies to collect and distribute customer returns, excess inventory and cash to support its mission of collecting adult and childrens shoes.

In an additional effort to raise money for Haiti, students and faculty at the middle school created Hearts for Haiti, a fundraising event to be held March 5 in the gymnasium.

The program includes live performances by the middle school band, local artists and Thundercheese, a band that features teacher Christopher Ippolito. Students will also read poetry.

Students and staff have created handcrafted House for Haiti pins that will be sold for $5 at the event. All proceeds from the event will benefit the American Red Cross Haitian Relief Fund.

Seventh- and eighth-grade social studies teacher J.T. Pierson explained that the event would bring the community together and help a country that is suffering.

“We’d talk about it [the earthquake] and the students wanted to help,” Pierson said. “They thought, what’s the point of talking if we don’t do something?”

Soles4Souls had its unofficial beginning following the 2004 tsunami that hit Southeast Asia. Formally incorporated in 2006, the organization currently collects between 45,000 and 60,000 pairs of shoes weekly, which are distributed to people in desperate need. According to the organization’s website, a new pair of shoes is distributed every nine seconds.

Recipients of the donated shoes include victims of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina or the Haitian earthquake, people living in abject poverty such as refugee camps in Uganda, and people in need of a fresh start such as people in need of dress shoes for new jobs.

For more information about Soles4Souls, visit www.soles4souls.org.

Dutrey's to Collect Shoes for Haiti Earthquake Survivors

The Sentinel Online

Soles4Souls and Dutrey’s Shoes have joined forces to bring shoes to victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

According to a news release, Dutrey’s Shoes will help collect footwear to support Soles4Souls’ commitment to donate more than 250,000 pairs of shoes to affected areas.

Through February 28, customers at Dutrey’s Shoes can drop off a “gently worn” pair of shoes. All donations will directly support relief efforts. Shoes will be collected at Dutrey’s Shoes at 290 E. Pomfret St. in Carlisle

In addition to directly helping those in Haiti, Dutrey’s Shoes will be offering a $5 savings certificate for each pair of shoes donated and up to $15 towards the purchase of new footwear in their store.

Soles4Souls has partnered with Operation Compassion, a charity that mobilizes support for victims of natural disasters around the world, to transport and distribute the aid. Thirty containers of supplies, including work boots, baby shoes, children’s athletic shoes and clothing items, are already en route to Haiti.

“We can use the shoes taking up space in your closet to change the world one pair at a time,” said Wayne Elsey, founder and CEO of Soles4Souls, Inc. in the news release. “We need our partners in Pennsylvania to ‘step up’ and get behind our call for action. It’s one of the most simple yet profound gifts you can make, because it will greatly improve someone’s life in the most difficult of times.”

The death toll in Haiti continues to rise, and survivors and rescuers are facing dire health conditions, including stifling heat, lack of clean water, broken glass and raw sewage.

“There are hurting people throughout the world,” said John Dutrey, owner of Dutrey’s Shoes, “and shoes provide protection, comfort and relief. We all have several pairs in our closet that we can share with the less fortunate.”

For more information on how to get involved with this shoe drive and take advantage of the discount, contact Dutrey’s Shoes at 249-4839.

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects and distributes shoes free of charge to people in need, regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 5.5 million pairs of new and gently-worn shoes.

The kids shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States.

Teacher Making a Difference One Shoe at a Time

The Olympian

A pair of canvas slip-on shoes turned into an eye-opening experience in rural Argentina for teacher Lindsey Knutzen.

Last month, Knutzen was one of a group of people selected by TOMS Shoes to travel on a nine-day “Shoe Drop.” The volunteers’ goal was to place shoes on the feet of rural Argentinian children whose families cannot afford to purchase shoes.

“I put shoes on kids who I think never had shoes,” said Knutzen, a first-grade teacher at Peter G. Schmidt Elementary. “We helped everyone from toddlers to grandparents, though we put shoes on the kids first.”

TOMS Shoes was founded by businessman and “Amazing Race” contestant Blake Mycoskie after a trip to rural Argentina. His business promise is to donate a pair of shoes to a child in need every time a pair is purchased.

TOMS spokeswoman Allison Dominguez said shoes can make a big difference for Third World children.

“Often, children cannot attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of a student’s uniform.” Dominguez said. “If they don’t have shoes, they don’t have an education. If they don’t have an education, they don’t have access to a better tomorrow.”

The company’s nonprofit organization has provided shoes to children in Argentina, South Africa and New Orleans. It also is contributing $5 per pair purchased to Haiti disaster relief.

Dominguez said that about 2,500 pairs of shoes were given away on Knutzen’s trip. Knutzen was selected in a drawing after she entered her e-mail address on the company Web site.

The accommodations for the volunteers on her trip were very basic – no luxuries like a plasma TV or nightclubs in Buenos Aires, Knutzen said. The group was based out of Misiones, Argentina.

“Sometimes it would take an hour to 31/2 hours to get to each location,” Knutzen said. “And the roads were very rural. … We got three flat tires throughout the week.”

TOMS’ nonprofit organization works with local agencies to find families in towns and native villages that can’t afford to purchase their own shoes.

“In one of the villages I went to, they had to walk four miles to school,” Knutzen said. “They were the poorest of the poor. Some of the children, they wanted to keep the cardboard boxes. In one village, they wanted to use it under their bedding.”

She said the “alpagarta” shoes, similar to kids slippers, are common in Argentina. The donated shoes were in a variety of colors and funky patterns, but children were not picky about color and style.

“They were just grateful,” she said.

“Some of the kids, they didn’t want to wear the shoes after we put them on. It was such a treasure; they would put them in the plastic bag so they could carry them.”

Knutzen said although she doesn’t like to take time away from her first-grade class, the trip was a chance for her class to learn more about children in other parts of the world.

“The kids were excited for me,” she said. “I’m very reluctant to leave a classroom, but the whole idea was about appreciating what you have and modeling doing things for others.”

“They wanted to know what were the kids like and they learned that some of the kid’s lives are very different from theirs,” she said.

“It’s like a dream come true for a teacher to do this – putting kids shoes on those who never had shoes.”

Payless Announces New Partners In Shoes 4 Kids Holiday Program

PR Newswire

More Than 750 Charitable Agencies Representing All 50 States in the United States, Across Canada and Puerto Rico and in 10 Latin American Countries Come Together to Create Expansive International Grass-Roots Giving Network to Directly and Immediately Give the Gift of Shoes This Holiday Season; Kids Start Shopping with Free Shoe Coupons

Leading family footwear retailer, Payless ShoeSource, announced today that more than 750 nonprofit partners located across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and in 10 Latin American countries have officially joined Payless in its Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids program, a grass-roots effort aimed at giving more than $1.2 million in free shoes to children of families in need this holiday season.

Payless will give more than 77,000 total gift coupons redeemable through Feb. 28, 2010, toward a new pair of kids' shoes at any of its more than 4,500 stores located in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and in Latin American countries including the Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Honduras, Nicaragua and Colombia.

A total of more than 150 nonprofit partners chosen from the United States' West/Southwest region include, among others:

    * Easter Seals Alaska (Fairbanks, AK)
    * Central Arizona Shelter Services (Phoenix, AZ)
    * Big Sister League of San Diego (San Diego, CA)
    * Shelter Partnership (Los Angeles, CA)
    * Denver Rescue Mission (Denver, CO)
    * Central Oahu Youth Services (Haleiwa, HI)
    * Family Services Alliance of Southeast Idaho (Pocatello, ID)
    * Hearts and Homes Family Resource Network (Bozeman, MT)
    * Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
    * Boys & Girls Club of Santa Fe (Santa Fe, NM)
    * Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency (Shawnee, OK)
    * Operation Homefront (Albany, OR)
    * Communities in Schools Dallas Region (Dallas, TX)
    * Your Community Connection of Ogden Northern Utah (Ogden, UT)
    * Children's Home Society of Washington (Seattle, WA)
    * Boys & Girls Club of Cheyenne Wyoming (Cheyenne, WY)

To see all of the selected 2009 Payless Gives non-profit organizations in your region, state or city please visit www.paylessgives.com.

Payless said that all the charity partners should receive their free shoe gift coupons by today along with a personal letter from Matt Rubel, chairman and chief executive officer of Collective Brands, Inc., the parent company of Payless, and LuAnn Via, chief executive officer and president of Payless, with a special request to get the coupons into the hands of the children that need them in time for the holidays. The quantity of gift coupons per agency is based on agency size and the number of constituents served and includes an average of about 100 coupons per charity partner. Many non-profit partners will also provide transportation for group shopping trips to the local Payless stores and already shopping trips have been coordinated for children in Los Angeles, San Juan and Cincinnati by charity partners.

"Kids have already started shopping for their free shoes," said Rubel. "Last year's program was truly amazing and we saw our charity partners coordinate directly with our local store teams to hold special shopping events outside of normal store hours -- many partners and store teams went above and beyond with special touches that included hot coco and other treats for the kids in addition to the free shoes," said Rubel.

"Already this year we've heard similar stories including NFL Hall-of-Famer, Anthony Munoz, and his foundation giving limo service and lunch for a group of second grade children in Cincinnati. Free shoes is an amazing gift to these kids, but to be able to shop with a super star athlete like Anthony makes it all even more special. We are thrilled with the hundreds of charity partners who are joining us this year in our massive holiday giving effort, and we look forward to seeing the smiling faces and hearing the heartfelt, inspiring stories that will result from this year's program."

The company launched the application phase for the Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids program on Oct. 15 with a call-to-action to the non-profit community to apply to be Payless partners in the shoe-gifting campaign to build a network of hundreds of localized organizations across the Western Hemisphere. This grass root approach is critical for immediate, direct access to kids in need at the holidays. In a 21-day application period, the retailer received nearly 3,000 applicants at its application website www.paylessgives.com and inquiries from nearly 37,000 visitors representing 109 countries across the globe. The application period is now closed.

Payless said its Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids non-profit network includes a total of more than 750 agencies: more than 670 charities in the United States, more than 70 in Canada, five in Puerto Rico, and 20 throughout Latin America.

"We were overwhelmed by the response from the non-profit community to join us in this important effort - to give a free pair of shoes to children in need this holiday season," said Payless CEO Via. "Our intent is to work with and through a diverse network of localized non-profits that have direct and immediate access to the children. Our chosen partners - more than 750 in all -- represent every state in the U.S., as well as organizations across Canada and in Puerto Rico and 10 Latin American countries in which we have stores. Together we've created a diverse international network of non-profits located in small towns, mid-sized and large cities, as well as rural areas so that we can blanket these countries and most effectively reach those in need."

Payless initiated the Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids program last year in response to the economic crisis, its impact on the underprivileged, the significant need across the United States for children's shoes, and to support smaller, localized nonprofits with a tool to assist them in helping those in need during the holidays. The retailer expanded the program internationally across the Western Hemisphere for 2009 because the need for children's shoes continues, the need is international and Payless is in a strong position to help.

A striking number of children don't have shoes that fit. Studies show that properly fitting shoes can enhance self confidence in children and aid in their proper development and growth. As well, with rising unemployment and food costs, it is difficult for parents to cover basic needs, such as kids shoes thus making the holidays an even more stressful time for struggling families.

Greater Horizons of Kansas City, also a nonprofit, served as the independent third-party to manage the bulk of the selection process, based on Payless' core selection criteria, for the Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids charity partners. For a complete list of the Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids partners, please go to www.paylessgives.com.

Payless Seeks Charity Partners For Shoe Giveaway

from Ohio.com

Local nonprofits are being sought to help give away children's shoes.

Payless ShoeSource has launched its annual Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids program, aimed at delivering more than $1.2 million worth of free children's shoes to children of families in need this holiday season.

The company said it works through a network of hundreds of charity partners, which it is counting on to help pass out 77,000 gift coupons redeemable through Feb. 28, 2010, toward a new pair of kids shoes at any store.

''Footwear is a basic need that many of us take for granted, and yet a significant number of children need shoes. In a difficult economy, the underprivileged are hurt more than any other group and the charities that assist them are often underfunded,'' chief executive officer Matthew Rubel said.

Nonprofit groups with 501(c)(3) status can apply to help give the coupons away by completing an application at paylessgives.com.