United Way helps students step into new school year with fresh shoes

WELLSBURG - The United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley is helping area youth get ready for the school year.

Representatives of the organization were in Wellsburg, Wednesday, to kick off the distribution for its annual Lace Up for Kids program.

Lace Up for Kids offers an opportunity for eligible children, in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, to receive new shoes prior to the beginning of each school year. Wednesday’s distribution was held at the Brooke County Public Library in Wellsburg.

"We do one of these distribution days in each of our seven counties," noted United Way Associate Director Madison Seavy.

The United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley serves communities in Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, and Tyler counties in West Virginia, and Belmont County in Ohio.

School-age children from low-income families in the service area may apply for the program, providing proof of enrollment in school for each child, along with other information to verify eligibility. The deadline for this year’s distribution was July 27.

Each individual accepted is then eligible for a voucher for a purchase up to $40 through Shoe Sensation or Shoe Department stores in the area.

"In the last six years, it’s grown from serving 300 to 1,100 annually," Seavy said, noting the program’s unofficial slogan of "Starting kids off on the right foot for the school year."

According to the United Way, this year 551 applications were received for more than 1,100 children in the region.

Lace Up for Kids is held in partnership with Covestro, EQT, West Virginia Northern Community College, The Sonneborn Foundation, and WTOV-TV.

Additional distributions have been scheduled for:

11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Aug. 10 at West Virginia Northern Community College’s New Martinsville campus for Wetzel County;

10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aug. 11 at the Ohio Valley Mall Community Room for Belmont County;

11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Aug. 12 at the Sistersville Church of Christ for Tyler County;

11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aug. 13 at the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce for Marshall County;

11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Aug. 14 at West Virginia Northern Community College’s Weirton campus for Hancock County;

11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aug. 18 at West Virginia Northern Community College’s Wheeling campus for Ohio County.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)