National News

Christmas 2011 could have been bleak for dozens of children attending an afterschool program on the eastside of Tacoma, Washington. Many of their parents had lost jobs; some struggling for more than a year to find new employment. Those who did find a job often worked only for minimum wage.

Christmas presents for the children? That wasn't going to happen—until Payless ShoeSource provided coupons for free shoes to 50 low-income children served by World Vision's U.S. Programs. The Christian humanitarian organization is a partner with the footwear company in their Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids program.

"If they hadn't received the shoes, a lot of kids would have gone without a Christmas gift," said a World Vision staffer who works in Tacoma. "Kids would have continued to wear their old shoes that were worn out. Many parents shared that getting these coupons was a huge blessing for them during the holidays."

Many of the Tacoma children who received free shoes attend a school where more than 90 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. They were among 900 children in five World Vision program sites across the United States—Appalachia, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Pacific Northwest—who received coupons for free Payless shoes in 2011. World Vision also serves North Texas and the National Capital Area.

World Vision is dedicated to helping children and their communities in the U.S. and around the world reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. We serve all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

Years of research show that impoverished children are more likely to underachieve in school, experience health and behavioral problems, and remain in poverty for another generation. World Vision serves vulnerable youth through providing programs that empower young people, helping struggling students receive free tutoring from trained volunteers, expanding the capacity of child-focused organizations serving in the community, and distributing
critical gift-in-kind products.