It’s back-to-school shopping season in Petersburg, and for many kids, that means it’s time to try on new shoes. But not every family can afford new shoes every year. That’s where Lee’s Clothing, a family-owned store on Petersburg’s main street, comes in. The business maintains a “shoe fund” for families in need, which helps pay for one new pair of shoes per child.
The program started a decade ago, when a woman who wanted to be anonymous came into Lee’s Clothing and asked if any kids in town needed new shoes. Heidi Lee, who helps run the store, said the woman wanted to leave some money to pay for their shoes.
“She said when she grew up, she wasn’t able to have many nice things, and so she felt like now she could give some extra money,” said Lee. “So she did that, and we found different kids that needed it, and she came in year after year and kept saying, ‘How’s the fund?’”
Lee’s sister, Cynthia Lee Mathisen, said the store wanted to keep the fund going even after the woman moved away from town.
“Every year, kind of at back-to-school, we would see there were kids in need, and so we’ve been trying to figure out how to continue to fund that,” said Mathisen.
The story pays for part of the shoe fund. When the fund runs low, they also reach out to a Facebook group called Love & Assistance, which helps people in need in the community. Mathisen said this year was a little different.
“This year, we saw a lot of need early on,” she said. “So I composed a letter and brought it around to some of the businesses and asked them if they could give a little bit to help fund the program. So that really helped this year.”
So far, Lee’s Clothing has helped 23 kids with a new pair of shoes this year.
It’s a private program, so nobody will know if the store helps a family out. It’s also on the honors system, so families don’t have to provide any proof.
While Lee’s Clothing offers the program year-round, Mathisen said they see a lot more demand during the school year.
“They kind of find out what their actual needs are when school starts,” she said. “It gives kids the confidence that they need to start school, and that’s what we want to do, is get them started on the right foot.”
Lee said they hope that families who use the program can give back to the fund in the future.
“It’s for people that really need it, not just a free pair of shoes for anybody,” said Lee. “When they do get back on their feet, hopefully they’ll come in and add to the school shoe fund.”
As of the last week in August, there’s enough money in the shoe fund to cover 12 more pairs of shoes. Those interested in donating to the shoe fund can call the store, or give money in person. All donations will go directly to the shoe fund.
