Executive Director Jeff Parsons said the group started to suspect shoes were a real issue around 2008 and 2009. The first August giveaway sent out over 300 pairs, and Parsons figured that would be the end of it. It wasn't.
What began as a single annual giveaway at a few schools grew into a citywide effort and beyond. Today the group visits schools in Amarillo, Canyon, Bushland, River Road, and Highland Park.
The need is climbing. Parsons said the group gave away over 300 pairs in September, and it had never given away more than 180 pairs before that. So far this school year, volunteers have handed out 686 pairs. At this time last year, the count sat in the 560s. "The need is not going away," Parsons said. "It's actually getting worse."
For kids at those schools, a good pair of shoes is a luxury many don't have. The closet fills that gap one pair at a time.
Twenty thousand pairs adds up to 40,000 feet.