800 Students At Local Elementary School Get New Pair Of Shoes

CHARLOTE, N.C — More than 800 students at Winding Springs Elementary now have a new pair of shoes and socks. 

“Our kids get a pair of shoes that they need and they deserve and as you can see with how excited everybody is it’s just a great day here at the Springs,” Winding Springs Elementary Principal Matthew Slota said. 

The donation from Truist Bank and Samaritans’ Feet is helping to lessen the burden on families at the title one school.

“The message of hope here in the US can make a huge difference with these children here and will probably last a lot longer than the pair of shoes,” Samaritan’s Feet Domestic Programs Manager Katie Meyers said. 

The students will also receive financial literacy lessons from leaders at Truist bank. 

“The shoes are a big factor but one thing we talk about is the financial  literacy factor of kids just knowing how important it is to value money, how they can spend money and save money and ultimately impact their lives later on,” Slota said. 

For these students it’s not just a shoe donation; each child gets a one on one custom shoe fitting with a Truist leader where they can share their hopes and dreams.       

“If that child knows that somebody is thinking about them particularly and taking an interest in them personally that can make a huge difference in a child’s life,” Meyers said. 

School leaders hope  the experience will have a lasting impact on students for years to come.  

“If we have leaders from the community coming in and showing our kids an example of being awesome and being great, our kids are going to in turn apply that to their own life,” Slota said.