Removing barriers to education at a rural, one-room school
Because and Zetu Africa partnered to outfit children in a rural Maasai community with pairs of The Shoe That Grows and SeatPacks.
Walking barefoot for shoes
July 11, 2025
The families at Gowanda Assembly of God church in Gowanda, New York, have started a new summer tradition: Christmas in July. Why July? They’re getting an early start on raising funds for Christmas shoeboxes.
But Gowanda Assembly of God doesn’t just pack boxes to bring a smile to kids’ faces—they’re also meeting a practical need for years to come. To make their boxes as impactful as possible, they include an extra special item in each Christmas shoebox: The Shoe That Grows!
To raise funds to include The Shoe That Grows in as many of their boxes as possible, Gowanda Assembly of God holds their Christmas in July Barefoot Walk-a-Thon each year. Kids and adults from the church collect pledges and donations to walk barefoot for an hour over grass, dirt and hot sidewalks.
Organizer Mary Habermehl shared, “The Shoe That Grows makes our OCC shoeboxes go further and more powerfully across the oceans, deserts and mountains.”
This event is fun and informative for participants because it allows them to literally walk a mile in someone else’s shoes—or, in this case, the lack thereof.
Mary said, “It has been great for the kids to feel for one hour what some kids feel each and every day. Even when it was hard to last the whole hour and some of the kids had stepped on bees or had gotten blisters, the parents and kids alike still wanted to do it because of what they are walking for.”
Designed specifically for kids impacted by poverty, The Shoe That Grows expands five sizes and lasts for years. Because it is adjustable, protective and durable, it will properly fit the child who receives it and support all their activities—from play on rough terrain to long walks to school and everything in between.
Interested in extending the impact of your Christmas shoeboxes this year? Consider packing The Shoe That Grows! Check out our Fundraising Fun guide for tips and ideas for hosting your own creative fundraising event.
THE SHOE THAT GROWS
$20.00
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It’s estimated that over 300 million children around the world don’t have shoes. By including The Shoe That Grows in your Christmas shoebox, you can help change that!
The Shoe That Grows expands five sizes and lasts for years, making it a practical choice for your “wow” item. The adjustable shoe grows five sizes, lasts for years and is easy to clean. It has a compressed rubber sole, antibacterial synthetic upper, high grade velcro, and no mechanical parts or gears to break—perfect for sending to kids in your box.
Select the age range for the Christmas shoeboxes you’re sending and we’ll send you The Shoe That Grows in the best size for that age—the size that will allow for the most growth.
Not ready to order? Create a peer-to-peer fundraising page using our free platform and raise support for your order of The Shoe That Grows.
Order a sample shoe to make sure The Shoe That Grows is the right fit for your shoebox.
Not packing boxes yourself? Donate to send shoes through our partners who are packing shoeboxes this season.
