Topeka ? Retailer Payless ShoeSource is going international with a program that provides free or reduced-price shoes to needy children through community charities.
The Topeka-based company on Thursday announced that its Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids program will distribute more than 77,000 coupons, or $1.2 million worth, toward a pair of shoes in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and 10 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Those countries are the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Honduras, Nicaragua and Colombia.

The company said it used more than 630 local groups last year to give away $1 million worth of shoes, or 67,000 pairs, in the U.S. alone.
Payless is asking U.S. and Canadian nonprofits interested in helping distribute the shoe coupons to apply at its Web site (paylessgives.com) through Oct. 30, after which the company will select the charities.

The coupons are to be distributed by the charities by Dec. 24.