For a child growing up in poverty in Appalachia, the pair of shoes they are wearing today likely came from an older sibling, or perhaps even a parent. And it’s not unlikely that shoes are too large, or too small, are worn out well beyond their useful life and perhaps have more holes than soles. 

At Americans Helping Americans® we have heard the stories of students standing at bus stops in the middle of winter wearing soaking wet sneakers after trudging through a foot of snow to get there. We have even heard from our partners of students showing up at school on a frigid winter’s day wearing nothing on their feet than a pair of flipflops. 

That’s why we began our Barefeet program in which a child and their parent or guardian are taken to a shoe store by one of our partner organizations where the child is able to pick out EXACTLY what pair of shoes they want – and their parent doesn’t have to worry about the cost! 

For 2025, thanks to the supporters of Americans Helping Americans®, we were able to provide grants totaling $12,300 to four of our Appalachian partners located in Georgia, Kentucky and West Virginia that will provide a pair of shoes to up to 320 children. 

In Gainesville Georgia, LAMP Ministries was founded in 1995 “with the mission of changing the world by changing the lives of children, one child at a time,” says executive director Mary Maurico, who is doing just that this year for up to 100 children (and a few adults who need them for work, job interviews or have disabilities) through our Barefeet program. 

With the grant funding, Mary is able to ensure that dozens of children will have a new pair of shoes to start off a new school year, as well as reserving a portion of the funding to assist low-income children and adults in the community throughout the year. 

“We try to help anyone who needs the help, and sometimes the families we help would never ask for help,” she said. “But every child wants to go shopping, so for us those smiles by children is worth all our time and effort. 

“These basic needs are the most urgently needed by our community. If this program was not funded many in our community would not receive what they needed.” 

In Beattyville, Kentucky, the Lee County Elementary School Family Resource Center (FRC) received grant funding to provide shoes for 30 children with FRC coordinator Paige Ramey noting that the center is a state funded program that aids in reducing non-academic barriers to increase students’ academic performance through various ways, including basic needs such as shoes. 

The FRC, which is located in the school, serves K-5 students by organizing back-to-school events, supporting afterschool programs and distributing school supplies and weekend food bags, and more. 

“We strive to ensure that every student under 12 in Lee County has the same access to necessary supplies and opportunities,” says Paige. “The Barefeet program provides quality, well-fitting shoes to students who otherwise would be unable to afford them. 

She explained that the FRC and FRC Advisory Council will select 30 students with “the highest determined need” and allow for a spending limit of up to $100 per student to buy quality shoes. (If shoes are below that cost, they may be eligible to purchase socks to accompany their shoes.) 

In Lee County, nearly one-third of residents live below the poverty line and “Of that percentage of residents, slightly more than 80 percent of our enrolled students are deemed to show a need for assistance and qualify for free and reduced lunch.”  

She describes the Barefeet program there as “a sought-after program” that families must apply for by submitting documentation of household income and expenses and the number of family members “and then the FRC Advisory Council will review applications to ensure that we are selecting the students who can benefit the most. 

“In such an impoverished area, families often struggle to provide the bare essentials to their children,” says Paige, adding that, “Children are often sent to the FRC with holes in their shoes, shoes that are drastically too small or too large, and typically in ill-repair and dirty.” 

Paige also noted that the Commonwealth of Kentucky only provides $1,000 annually to the FRC annually for clothing, shoes, hygiene products and other others “and cannot possibly keep up with the demand.” 

She also pointed out that there are no similar programs in the county which provide a new pair of shoes to students in need. 

And, without the grant funding, “there would not be the opportunity for students to receive this assistance if not for the aid of Americans Helping Americans®. 

“This program aides in decreasing barriers and increasing self-esteem in our students at Lee County Elementary. This will also be many students’ first experience to get to go shopping and pick out their own items.” 

For the older students in the county, the Lee County Middle/High School Youth Service Center (YSC) also offers the Barefeet program with grant funding from Americans Helping Americans®. 

YSC coordinator Jennifer Wilder said she expects that up to 70 students will benefit from the $5,000 grant provided by Americans Helping Americans® this school year. 

She explained that the mission of the YSC “is to overcome non-educational barriers that hinder our students from succeeding.  

“Many families simply do not have the resources to purchase good shoes for their children. 

“The students in our ‘kids in need’ programs are identified several ways. Referrals are given by bus drivers, cooks, teachers as well as self-referred and families.” 

“With the increase in prices, the purchase of shoes has become a financial burden to many families.” 

 Jennifer noted that “teenagers face many peer pressures,” and “this program allows them to have a sense of pride, allows them to fit in and have things the other kids may have. 

“Students come to school in inappropriate shoes, holes, too small or too big. There have been times staff could collect money purchase shoes for students.” 

And in McDowell County, West Virginia, our partner there, Big Creek People in Action (BCPIA), will be providing 120 children from 80 low-income families with new shoes through our Barefeet program with support from Americans Helping Americans®. 

BCPIA executive director Dyanne Spriggs said that while local residents occasionally drop off used shoes to give out through its Family Pantry, “Almost all of the shoes we receive from the community for our pantry are already worn out. The children’s shoes we receive are not in good shape. Sometimes they have gone through two or three kids in the family.” 

With the funding from Americans Helping Americans®, BCPIA staff and volunteers will take the kids – selected from its afterschool and summer camp programs (both also supported by Americans Helping Americans®) – “to a shoe store and let them pick out a pair of tennis shoes that they will like and that actually fit.  

“Because we will have to travel to a neighboring county to get the shoes, we will make a day trip of it.” (She noted that 100 percent of the grant funding from Americans Helping Americans® will be used to purchase shoes for the children and that other funding will be utilized for transportation and meal expenses.) 

In addition to those students who will be going to a store to pick out their very own pair of shoes, Dyanne explained that a portion of the funds will be used to buy new pairs of shoes to have on hand in its Family Pantry. 

“Poverty statistics in our county clearly show the need for kids’ shoes,” says Dyanne, adding, “Often the most visible sign of poverty is the condition of the child’s shoes. 

“Without a good pair of shoes, kids feel embarrassed, discouraged, or left out – simply because they lack something most of us take for granted. 

“Every child needs a new pair of shoes to go to school.” 

As any parent or guardian knows, “Kids are always growing and many of the kids around here do not have a properly-fitting, supportive pair of shoes. This will ensure their safety, ease their discomfort of wearing ill-fitting shoes, and increase their self-confidence.” 

And not only that, but Dyanne also points out that “new shoes may improve their health by increasing their physical activity and wearing the right type of shoes that provide support, and stability will help keep their feet healthy.” 

Simply having a new pair of shoes, can stop bullying by making sure no child is wearing shoes that are too old or smelly or too inappropriate, she also noted. 

“A fresh pair of shoes can be just what a child needs to feel confident and prepared to face the world.”