EMMETT, Idaho — Boxes of shoes arrived at the Emmett School District this week as part of a program aimed at removing financial barriers for local families.
The Idaho Youth Sports Commission partnered with the district to deliver free shoes to students in need through the Sneakers for Kids program. Started about two years ago, the program is designed to help ease some of the financial pressures families face during the school year and encourage kids to get outside and stay active.
WATCH: Partnership brings new shoes to students in Emmett
Idaho Youth Sports Commission Executive Director Tim Brady reached out to Emmett School District Assistant Superintendent Bob Hyde last summer to propose bringing the program to the district. Hyde said the response from families was immediate.
"When we put it out there, if a family would be interested in applying or receiving a pair of shoes for a student, a child in the home, they came back real quick, and the numbers were high," Hyde said.
Brady agreed to provide the full number of shoes the district requested. Hyde said Brady also committed to helping with athletic gear and pay-to-play fees for the year.
Brady said the decision to bring the program to Emmett came down to the people leading its schools.
"Emmett is an awesome community led by schools, staff, teachers who truly love their kids and they care, and so we love partnering with, you know, organizations, schools like that who truly care about kids and want the best for them and their best well-being," Brady said.
Brady said the goal of the Sneakers for Kids program goes beyond just providing footwear.
"If we can get kids feeling good about themselves to get out and play, that's a good thing, whether it's in their backyard, in the streets, you know, at school, on the playground," Brady said.
Brady said the program has the potential to spark something bigger when it connects kids with sports and coaches.
"If they join a team and get connected with a great coach, now we've got a game changer happening," Brady said.
Brady said the rising cost of youth sports makes programs like this one increasingly important.
"Sports are getting very expensive, and you know we take for granted, you know, that it's not... it's not always easy for everyone to get in, so man, we want kids in," Brady said.
Hyde said the program addresses a growing need in Gem County. The district serves students experiencing homelessness and in foster care, and Hyde said he works closely with those populations through federal programs including McKinney-Vento. Free and reduced lunch qualification rates range from over 50% to 60% this school year, and have reached as high as 65% to 70% in past years.
"With those numbers, you know, the needs are high, and their socioeconomics are sometimes low in some of our homes in Gem County here," Hyde said.
High school athletes and students — including football players, soccer players, and band members — wrote inspirational notes that will be included with every shoe box. Hyde said the district was thoughtful about how to involve older students, given that some may know the younger students receiving shoes. Rather than attaching athletes' names to the tags, the notes will include an inspirational message along with the student's number or instrument.
The community response has extended well beyond the shoe program. Hyde said Pioneer Title hosted free school supply nights open to anyone, with no eligibility check required. Community members have also walked into the district building to donate $500 to $1,000 for back-to-school supplies, clothes, and shoes.
"This community is always very generous; they're always very giving, and they're always first to be at the door to help a student in need or a family in need," Hyde said.
Brady said he hopes the shoes do more than just cover students' feet.
"We just want these shoes, you know, for the kids in this community. We want it to be a lift for them, and we want to put a little bounce in their step, just walk a little bit taller and then get out and play, make those social connections, develop some healthy behaviors, and that's what we want," Brady said.
Families and organizations interested in learning more about the Sneakers for Kids program can visit idahoyouthsports.com.
