Resources to help you navigate customs.
A few pieces of advice on navigating the customs process with The Shoe That Grows. Use the form that follows to generate your own personalized customs letter.
A better solution for the communities you work with
Everything you need for a successful distribution of The Shoe That Grows.
Thank you for your interest in serving kids and families around the world! We’ve assembled resources to assist and inspire you, whether you are sending shoes or distributing them in person.
Important guides and printables for running a distribution.
Distribution fitting guide
Step-by-step instructions on how The Shoe grows and setting up stations to distribute multiple pairs.
Shoe size guide
A guide you can place on the ground to measure each child's foot and find the best size.
Distribution best practices
Some suggestions to keep in mind as you plan and run your distribution.
Shoe adjustment infographic
Instructions you can print out and leave behind that illustrate The Shoe's five sizes.
Social media checklist
A checklist to help you consider how you approach documenting your distribution.
Inspirational stories and tips from service trip distributions around the world.
“Shoes with Identity” project sends The Shoe That Grows to Mexico
The Hermosillo Milenio Interact Club, a youth program of Rotary International, chose The Shoe That Grows for a local service project.
Helping Belizean kids get to school through The Shoe That Grows
A summer fundraiser provided 210 kids and teachers in Belize with a pair of shoes, protecting their health and access to education.
The Shoe That Grows supports ongoing service in southern Zambia
Pastor Andy Neal and Temple Baptist Church have built a special relationship with communities in Zambia—which includes distributing The Shoe.
Additional links to get you started.
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Thank you for being willing to bring The Shoe That Grows with you on your international trip! We find that this is not only the most effective way to get shoes distributed, but it also is dramatically less expensive than shipping the shoes internationally.
We encourage you to reach out to the customer service of the airline you are flying with and ask if there are any discounts or fees that can be waived on the bags of shoes. Some of our customers have had success with this.
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Customs agencies in most countries require payments of taxes/duties for products that enter their borders. Typically, these taxes/duties target commercial goods that are meant to be sold. Because our shoes are meant for humanitarian aid, are for donation only, and are not for resale, most countries will reduce/eliminate taxes and fees on the shoes. Have your customs letter at hand to help explain the shoes.
Although the majority of our distribution partners that bring shoes internationally do not have to pay any import duties/taxes, there may be some cases that they are asked to do so. It's a good idea to research the laws and regulations for importing donated goods into your destination country.
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It is our goal to build out a comprehensive database with all of the information we have on specifically bringing shoes into other countries. In order to do that, we need your feedback!
Please follow up with us about how your experience was traveling internationally with our shoes, so that we can make future distributions even better! Thank you.
Additional documents you might need.