Students across Buncombe County received brand new shoes, thanks to Biltmore Church and Fleet Feet. Noticing a need for fresh shoes after Hurricane Helene, Biltmore Church worked with the local Fleet Feet store, which brought out its owners and employees from across North Carolina to fit students with shoes.
“A lot of people don’t actually know their correct shoe size,” said Fleet Feet COO Jason Jabout. “For us, it’s about service. We want to give that personal attention instead of just sending shoes, to make sure each student has a pair that’s right for them.”
Around 5,000 pairs of shoes have been donated from Fleet Feet from their partners at ON shoes and New Balance, as well as nearly as many pairs of socks. Seeing the need, they reached out to 828Strong, the disaster relief arm of Biltmore Church, to help distribute them.
At the Progressive Education Program (PEP), Fleet Feet employees and 828Strong volunteers ran back and forth between a well-stocked trailer brought up from Fleet Feet’s Winston-Salem location. Individualized shoe fitting and care was especially important at their PEP drive, with students needing extra care to find the perfect fit. Some customizations were made on-the-go, such as cutting tabs off of shoe tongues to make them easier to get on for children with mobility issues.
“We’ve had a chance to sit down and just hear kids' stories,” said Biltmore Church Executive Pastor Jason Gaston. “When you put a new pair of shoes on a kid's foot, it’s not just about comfort - it’s about confidence and restoring some joy to them.”
"We are so thankful to Biltmore Church and Fleet Feet for supporting our students and families,” said BCS Family Resource Center Director Shannon Boyd. “So many students were able to walk a lot taller and prouder after getting their new shoes.”
