We Bring Relief

Since our founding in 2010, Shoes 4 the Shoeless has delivered brand-new gym shoes and socks to disadvantaged children within Southwest Ohio through our in-school delivery program. The need is still great, so our work continues.

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Children Served in 2025

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Our Story

It Starts Like Most Stories Out There

A few people recognized an overwhelming need and had to do something about it. Since then, countless volunteers and donors have stepped up to meet one of the biggest unmet health care needs for children in poverty.

Our shoes and socks bring relief, hope, encouragement, and comfort to local children in desperate need. With your help, we can make a difference!

About Us

Making a Meaningful Impact

The Need Is Great.
The Opportunity Is Greater.

In 2025, Shoes 4 The Shoeless served 21,000+ children with brand new shoes and socks. However, across our 21-county footprint, we estimate that 72,000 children are still in need.

That means we are currently reaching about 30% of the need.

Together, we can close the gap.

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Get to Know Us

It Takes a TEAM

To deliver thousands of shoes each year, it takes incredible planning and coordination. Get to know our Staff Team, our Board of Directors, and our Greater Cincinnati Advisory Council.

Our Team

What's Going On?

Wondering what we've been up to lately?

Year-round we stay busy hosting events all over the Miami Valley and Greater Cincinnati area. If you would like to keep up with us and see our mission in action, be sure to follow us on our social spaces!

Shoes 4 the Shoeless

1 week ago

As soon as he put on his new shoes, he took off running and jumping. School starts soon, and he did not have a decent pair of shoes to wear.The older a child gets, the harder that becomes. Other kids are often cruel.We never take for granted seeing this kind of relief and happiness in a child, over a simple pair of gym shoes and socks.It takes an army of supporters to make this possible. If you are one of them, thank you. If you would like to be, we need you! It is as good for you as it is for the kids.Check out our recently updated webpage for more information.www.shoes4theshoeless.orgServing is a privilege.#goodnessandmercy. . ... See MoreSee Less

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Shoes 4 the Shoeless

2 weeks ago

Another commonly asked question is, since we have such a long waiting list of partners wanting to schedule, why do we keep the same ones every year? On the surface, it makes more sense to change partners every year, giving more children a chance to be helped.But we have a deeper goal than just numbers. Shoes that fit are a crucial health care need for kids. Keeping them in the right shoes prevents the horribly painful and permanent foot damage we see everywhere we go. Because a typical child outgrows shoes three times per year, helping just once doesn't achieve our goal of preventative health care. Immediate help is great, but we aim even higher.Because hard times last for many of the children we serve, we are delighted to help them year after year.This note was from a girl who knows us well.Part of it says,"I am one of the students who needs help every year. I am thankful you want to help me so I can have a better life. When I grow up, I want to be a nurse like you or a vet"We love the kids we serve.Stay with us, please.#healthneed #goodnessandmercy. ... See MoreSee Less

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Shoes 4 the Shoeless

2 weeks ago

For the first few years, we were asked questions about our name.People did not like the word "shoeless". A few school principals did not even want us parking our truck where people could see it because of that. They did not want community members to think there were children living in that level of need in their buildings. That did not make much sense, because there were countless of their students living with the deepest needs imaginable.The real issue was the stigma against children in poverty, but back to our name.Shoes 4 the Shoeless was NOT our first choice. We had several others, but they were already trademarked.But, after a week or two of seeing what the children were actually wearing, we decided our name was perfect.To grow and develop normally, children need to run, jump, climb, and play. That requires shoes that fit, are fit to wear, and allow for active physical movement. The word "shoeless" took on a different meaning to us.We took these shoes off of children last week. The plastic rain boot was several sizes too small. The house slippers were four sizes too big.In each case, they were the only shoes the children owned. They did not own socks. Without our help, there would be no other shoes coming their way in the near future.To us, these children were shoeless.We love our name and the children we serve.We have set a goal of reaching 1,000 additional children this year, while maintaining the 20,000 we already serve. That is a big goal.Thanks for staying with us. #goodnessandmercy #healthcareneed ... See MoreSee Less

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Shoes 4 the Shoeless

3 weeks ago

We have answered a lot of questions over the years about why we will help a child more than once. There are usually a few assumptions behind that kind of question that we take issue with, but an underlying thought process is that the adults in charge of the kids are not doing their job and should not be rewarded with help.People working on the front lines of poverty, as we do, see things through a different set of eyes.This week we encountered a grandmother who has custody of her two teenage grandchildren.They live in deep, deep poverty in a neighborhood full of every social ill you can imagine.The grandmother knew what time our event started, but brought the girls to stand in line over two hours early. Both girls desperately needed new shoes and socks, and were very afraid we would run out.What caught our attention was not that they were waiting in line so early; that often happens in our summer events, but the grandmother was crying.She looked dejected and hopeless.She told us she had driven the girls from several blocks away and had run over a nail. She was afraid her tire was going to go flat. She had almost no gas left in her car, no money to buy more gas or to pay for a tire repair.We were able to help her with all of those things. And, of course, we provided shoes and lots of socks.We did not ask this grandmother why she was in such a precarious position, why she had custody of the girls, or her future plans to improve their situation. That is not our role.Our role is to meet one of the biggest, unmet health care needs for children living in hard times, especially when those hard times do not change for the better.We will help a child more than once, and consider it a privilege to do so.Stay with us, please.#goodnessandmercy #healthcareneed ... See MoreSee Less

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Shoes 4 the Shoeless

4 weeks ago

We no longer feel the urgency to raise awareness concerning the need we meet. Kids living in hard times need good gym shoes that fit and are fit to wear because the work of kids is play. It is a huge part of normal growth and development.Unfortunately, for countless children, this need is never met. They grow up with permanently damaged feet. The results are sad and far-reaching.Take a look at this story sent to us yesterday by an adult who donated shoes. She also sent a picture of her feet and told us to please share her story in hopes it can help the kids.Kris, I am helping you because I grew up with shoes that did not fit. I lived in a very well-to-do neighborhood with a mom who could not stand me because of a birth defect I have.The toes on my feet are so jacked up, it is all I can do to stand for a shift at work.I have to buy my shoes way too large to try to be comfortable. I am 45 yrs. old, and it is not possible to fix my feet at this point.As a child, I could never run or play and enjoy life. As an adult, I cannot do something as simple as walking at Kings Island. I cannot work a full shift at work without sitting down throughout my time to take pressure off my feet. Even so, my legs and feet ache constantly.My nails are extremely thick and gross from the many years of abuse, and should be trimmed professionally, but my insurance will not cover that. They also will not cover a second opinion from a podiatrist.Feet carry you through life. I have learned lessons I will never forget.My faith is unshakable. I may not be able to stand for a full shift at work without taking the pressure off of my feet. I may not be able to walk around a park, but I can stand tall in my faith, and make sure that, as long as there is breath in my lungs, I can scream from the mountaintops that God's got me.I want to help you because the least I can do is try to help a child have a pair of shoes that fit, so they can hopefully not suffer and struggle as an adult as I do. Kids should not have to walk this walk alone.THIS is why we exist. Stay with us, please. We meet one of the biggest unmet health care needs for children living in hard tim#goodnessandmercymercy ... See MoreSee Less

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Shoes 4 the Shoeless

4 weeks ago

These shoes were the only pair he owned. They were three sizes too big. There were no insoles left, and the bottoms were full of holes. Both insoles were partially detached at the toes. These are not just cosmetic issues; they are also physical, social, and emotional problems. Big ones.He could not walk or run normally. His feet were cold and wet in bad weather. He was well aware of the odor, as was everyone around him. He was embarrassed and ashamed.Last year, we reached over 21,000 children. Our eyes and hearts are set on even more this year. We are dreaming big.Let us know if you would like to be a part of this incredible story by helping buy shoes, volunteering on a team to put shoes on kids, hosting sock drives, or all of the above! You can email us at kris@shoes4theshoeless.org for more information, or check out the links below. Thank you!shoes4theshoeless.org/give/shoes4theshoeless.org/get-involved/Stay with us, please.#goodnessandmercy ... See MoreSee Less

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Questions or Comments?

Get in Touch

If you know us, you know that we love talking about what we do and meeting new people. If you don’t know us, we’d love to talk with you! Whether you want to share an idea, talk about a need, or just say hi, we would love to hear from you.

Contact Us

We Bring Relief

It Starts Like Most Stories Out There

The Need Is Great. The Opportunity Is Greater.

It Takes a TEAM

What's Going On?

Wondering what we've been up to lately?

Get in Touch

The Need Is Great.
The Opportunity Is Greater.