Hundreds of students in unincorporated King County received brand-new shoes this week through a partnership between Nordstrom and the nonprofit Shoes That Fit.
Shoes That Fit works with students in underserved communities, including schools where many families qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.
Amy Fass, CEO and executive director of Shoes That Fit, said the organization provides new, brand-name shoes because the impact can extend beyond simply giving children something new to wear.
“But the reason we only do new shoes, brand-name new shoes, is it’s about how the kids see themselves,” Fass said.
At Hilltop Elementary, students had their feet measured before picking out and trying on their new shoes.
Principal Corbin Busby said having clothes and shoes students feel comfortable wearing can make a difference when they walk into the classroom.
“When kids feel comfortable in their skin and their clothes and their body when they’re showing up, they’re just going to be more prepared to learn and more cognitively engaged,” Busby said.
The event also brought Nordstrom back to its roots. The Seattle-based retailer was founded 125 years ago as a shoe company.
Nordstrom Co-CEO Pete Nordstrom joined volunteers helping students find the right pair, an experience that he said brought him back to his own days selling shoes.
“For me, I used to sell shoes, so it kind of brings me back a little bit,” Nordstrom said.
Nordstrom said the company’s 16-year partnership with Shoes That Fit has helped provide more than 480,000 pairs of shoes to children across the country.
Nordstrom said the effort also connects to the company’s history and its relationship with the community.
“It is something that we can lean into, again, back to the heritage of what we do and how over that time we’ve been able to become part of the community and how we’ve been able to have a reputation with customers,” Nordstrom said.
For the students receiving shoes, organizers hope the impact lasts beyond the day itself by helping children head back to the classroom feeling comfortable and confident.
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