photo by: Matt Resnick/Journal-World

Shoes are displayed on shelves for Lawrence public school's back-to-school shoe giveaway at the district headquarters on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023.

More than 100 kids from low-income households got a free pair of shoes for the new school year at a special giveaway on Saturday at the Lawrence school district’s headquarters.

Ahead of the school year, which began this past week, guidance counselors worked to identify families facing financial hardship and gave them vouchers to use for the shoe giveaway, said Dena Johnston, executive director of the Lawrence Schools Foundation. More than 200 pairs of shoes were available for the event, donated by the Lawrence Rotary Club and Velocity Church, and the Lawrence Sertoma Club also provided free socks. By 11:30 a.m. Saturday, more than 150 pairs of shoes had been distributed.

“It’s empowering to see service organizations come together to help provide this event for our community and families,” Johnston said, adding that the district also recently provided 1,800 backpacks full of school supplies to K-12 students. She also said any remaining shoes from the event would still be available to students in need through the district’s clothing closet.

Superintendent Anthony Lewis told the Journal-World that a new pair of shoes can make a big difference in a student’s self-esteem and help remove some of the stigma that kids from low-income families often face.

“Now they can come to school and feel good about themselves,” Lewis said.

Students and families who need assistance with clothes, school supplies or other resources can contact school counselors or social workers, or they can make an appointment with the district’s Clothing Closet by calling 785-330-4905.