LANSING, Mich. — Mid-Michigan schools are giving $50 vouchers to low-income students to buy new shoes.
Students that come from low-income families, are on free or reduced lunch or are homeless qualify.
Schools within a 25-mile radius of Downtown Lansing have applications for students who want a voucher.
"I wish you could've seen him [a student] skip to class," said Cassandra Trawitz with the Greater Lansing Old Newsboys Association. "He was so excited because he can only have boots because his family can only afford boots. When the shoe voucher came in, he was able to go to gym class without boots, he was able to participate in class without his feet sweating. It's just great for the family and its great for the kids."
A father of three says his family has used the voucher for a couple of years.
"Boots are not cheap, so every time we've used its been a great deal to our family," said Chauncey James. "It helps us tremendously because we're on a budget and at the time we need some assistance."
He continued on to say "They are always happy to get new things especially shoes and clothes. So it was a great surprise for them and they go pick them out themselves. It was a good family outing. It was a great thing."
Meijer and Shoe Carnival are partners with the Greater Lansing Old Newsboys Association who supply the vouchers.
In order to use one, all parents have to do is present it to an employee at checkout at Meijer or Shoe Carnival and they will receive the $50 payment.
The program has helped more than six thousand students this year and allows them to buy whatever kind of shoes they want.
If parents spend more than the amount on the voucher they are responsible for paying the rest of the amount on the bill.
However, if the child doesn't spend the whole amount of the voucher, that money will be given back to the program to give to other students in need.
According to Angela Bass with the Lansing Charter Academy, schools hand out application packets for the vouchers at the beginning of the school year.
The program runs throughout the school year.
Parents should call their school to get more information.
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