April 21, 2015 at 2:58 pm

For Children in Need, this Shoe Grows as They Do

by twistedsifter

The Shoe That Grows started when founder Kenton Lee was living and working in Nairobi, Kenya in 2007. One day while walking to church, he noticed a little girl in a white dress next to him who had shoes that were way too small for her feet. That led to questions about why. And finally an idea: “Wouldn’t it be great if there was a shoe that could adjust and expand—so that kids always had a pair of shoes that fit?” And just like that The Shoe That Grows was born.

A shoe that lasts five years and grows five sizes

Over 2 billion people suffer from soil-transmitted diseases and parasites. They live in areas that do not have adequate sanitation. They struggle with proper hygiene. They do not have the right clothing, resources, or health coverage. And being sick = struggling. Kids miss school, can’t help their families, suffer with pain. Many of these diseases and parasites get into the body because people don’t have shoes.

There are over 300 million children who do not have shoes. And countless more with shoes that do not fit. Sometimes they receive donations of shoes, but these are kids. Their feet grow. And they outgrow donated shoes within a year. Right back where they started.

The Shoe That Grows is a patented design of an innovative shoe that adjusts and expands. It was developed in part by a shoe development company in the Northwest called Proof of Concept. The shoe comes in two sizes: Small and Large. Each size grows 5 sizes and lasts at least 5 years.

Small = Grows 5 sizes – From Kindergarten to 4th Grade
Large = Grows 5 sizes – From 5th Grade to 9th Grade

The Shoe is made with simple materials – leather, compressed rubber, and snaps. No mechanical parts of gears to break. Easy to clean. Easy to use.

The Shoe That Grows can compress into itself and you can fit 50 pairs of shoes in a regular duffle bag that weighs under 50 pounds. That means a single person can take 50 pairs of shoes in a suitcase on a plane.

The Shoe That Grows distribute their shoes through partner organizations that work around the world. If you want to help, click here to learn more.