The excitement or nerves for the first day of school are memories many people have, but not every child starts the year on equal footing. For many, it can be tough, especially for children in foster homes.

For some kids, a new pair of shoes is more than just back-to-school shopping. It's the difference between feeling confident and feeling left out.

"Not everybody can go to school with something new, and people get bullied," said foster parent Abby Graham. "Kids get bullied a lot of the time, and I think this is a great opportunity to combat that and make people feel special."

Famous Footwear teamed up with Pressley Ridge and the Ticket to Dream Foundation to give foster kids a chance to feel seen and excited.

"For kids in foster care who don't have that sense of stability or confidence, just the chance to pick out their own shoes when a lot of the time, they're getting hand-me-downs," said Lisa Kahle, Director of Marketing for Pressley Ridge. 

Each child had the chance on Saturday to pick out brand new shoes, socks, and a backpack full of supplies.

"When they said she could pick any shoe, she was like, 'Wait, any shoe, not just a section.' I thought that was really cool," Graham said.

"It's been so fun to see them looking at shoes," said foster parents Hannah Caudill and Jared Wink.

"Just one of them to feel excited to go back to school," Caudill said. "Because school is such a constant in their lives, and excited for them to have new shoes to show to their friends." 

But it all goes beyond the soles of a shoe. For kids, navigating new homes, unfamiliar routines, and uncertain futures can be stressful. But helping them feel like they belong can be all the difference.

"I think it helps them feel like every typical child going back to school shopping," Caudill said.

"Yeah, excited about something," Wink said. "It's always fun to show off something new with your friends." 

• Back to School