All districts — Dressed in a Disney princess shirt with matching leggings, kindergartner Elina tried on a brand new pair of glittering rainbow slip-on shoes.
A smile spread across her face when the shoe fit like Cinderella’s glass slipper. Thanks to accurate measurements taken by volunteer Evelina VanHaren, Elina’s new shoes left a bit of room to grow, without falling off her feet.
VanHaren continued to meet children, learn their shoe sizes and favorite colors many times during the Grand Rapids nonprofit In The Image’s two-day SHOES (Shoes Help Our Elementary Students) event last week at DeVos Place.
Heading into fourth grade, CJ said he was looking forward to showing off his new neon-colored Nike shoes at his new school.
“I had a choice between Shaqs and another one and I was happy these ones fit,” he said. “I know that Nike is a popular brand, so I feel like it will be a good start (to the school year.)”
Volunteers from local businesses, corporations, churches and other organizations served more than 4,000 West Michigan K-5 students, empowering them to strut into the first day of school with new, properly fitting athletic shoes.
“We have over 550 volunteers for these two days and we couldn’t do it without them,” said Ashley Lubbers, executive director of In The Image. “It takes an army to pull this off.”
After choosing their favorite pair of shoes, kids could sit in a Grand Rapids fire department firetruck, meet firefighters and police officers, learn about Kent District Library’s after-school programs or In The Image’s free store, which provides clothing, shoes, housewares and personal hygiene products at no cost to families.
Storehouse of Community Resources also donated 4,000 backpacks filled with school supplies and fun surprises for every student to take home with their new shoes.
Over three decades, the annual SHOES event has provided local students with new footwear so they can run on the playground and focus in class without feeling discomfort or embarrassment.
In past years, the organization ran the program out of South Division Avenue locations before relocating to 4255 Kalamazoo Ave. in 2021. Lubbers said hosting the event in a much larger venue allows them to reach a larger community.
She added: “This program started as a simple idea, that no child should miss school because they don’t have proper footwear.”
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