HUTCHINSON, Kan. — For the second consecutive year, the CrossPoint Church in Hutchinson provided a brand new pair of shoes to each student at Faris Elementary School.
“Even in better economic times, Faris Elementary has one of the highest number of students who qualify for free lunch assistance,” Shaen Marks, pastor of CrossPoint Hutchinson, said. “Shoes are an essential part of a kid’s daily life and self-esteem. Shoes are also one of the most visible signs of hardship and need. Childhood should be a wonderful, carefree time, but the simple lack of a good pair of shoes can leave a child open to bullying and ridicule. No kid wants shoes held together with duct tape or rubber bands.”
CrossPoint Church is stepping up with shoes for every student to unwrap at school and take home.
“It’s really magical to see the kids’ faces when they unwrap these shoes, getting shoes they really wanted and shoes that fit,” Marks said. “For so many kids who wear hand-me-downs, this pair of shoes will be their first pair of shoes that is their very own.”
This is one of many ways that CrossPoint Church has been helping Faris Elementary staff and students meet their needs. Over the last two years, the church has provided breakfasts, lunches, gift cards for teachers, and prizes for staff as they come back to school.