About Us

Shoes That Fit tackles one of the most visible signs of poverty in America by giving children in need new athletic shoes to attend school with dignity and joy, prepared to learn, play, and thrive.

That’s our vision at Shoes That Fit. Every day we see how the gift of shoes is about much more than shoes. It’s the confidence children need to step forward into a brighter future.

A new pair of shoes can be a life-changing event for a child. School attendance, self-esteem, and behavior improve. Physical activity increases. Smiles return. All from an often-overlooked item—a good pair of shoes. Our vision is that, one day, every child in America who needs new shoes gets new shoes, allowing all children the opportunity to reach their highest potential.

VALUES STATEMENT

We believe in …

Diversity and Inclusion:
We recognize, honor, and welcome the diverse backgrounds, life challenges, and experiences of our staff, volunteers, and especially, of the youth that we serve. We pledge to create and modify work environments, procedures, and programs to reflect and celebrate diversity and inclusion.

Respect:
We believe that our donors, schools and agencies that we work with are collaborative partners. We pledge to treat all of our partners with appreciation and defer to their expertise. Most importantly, we pledge to work with our partners to respect the privacy and dignity of the children we serve.

Listening and learning:
The schools, donors, and nonprofits we work with know their communities the best. We pledge to actively listen to them and their needs without imposing any preconceptions or our biases onto them and learning the best practices to reach kids in their communities. We will continue to work to understand the challenges our constituents face and respond with programs and processes that fit their needs and abilities.

The power of play:
We promise every child we measure that they will receive a pair of new, athletic, well-fitting shoes so they have one less barrier to learning, playing, and thriving. We pledge to do our part in closing the achievement gap and creating space for children to play without pain and learn with dignity and joy, allowing all children the opportunity to reach their highest potential.