For the past 17 years, Rack Room Shoes has partnered with the nonprofit organization Shoes That Fit in an effort to provide new shoes to children in need to allow them to focus on their studies. The Shoes That Fit mission is to address poverty in America by giving new shoes for children to “attend school with dignity, prepared to learn, play and thrive.”
In 2023, Rack Room Shoes raised nearly $2 million during its annual campaign — and since 2007, the company has given more than 500,000 new shoes to children in need with more than $14.9 million raised. Notably, the company raises funds for the initiative twice a year (during the back-to-school and holiday seasons), with 100 percent of proceeds donated to the Shoes That Fit campaign schools which identify children in need. Currently, the shoe retailer has more than 700 schools they partner with across the U.S.
Rack Room Shoes’ 2024 back-to-school Shoes That Fit fundraising campaign runs until Sept. 2. During this year’s back-to-school campaign, all of the new stores opening during the back-to-school campaign will have a partner school that will receive a $2,000 corporate donation.
Here, Tracy Fitzgerald, social responsibility director at Rack Room Shoes, sat down with Fairchild Studio to discuss its ongoing partnership with Shoes That Fit, the program’s success stories, supporting underserved and impoverished communities across the U.S. and more.
Fairchild Studio: Can you tell us about Rack Room Shoes’ 17-year history with Shoes That Fit?
Tracy Fitzgerald: Our partnership started with a commitment to our company mission: “The company must serve the people.” We are dedicated to finding new ways to make a positive impact in our local communities, which is why our collaboration with the Shoes That Fit organization aligns seamlessly.
We partner with schools with at least 75 percent of low-income students enrolled. Each school receives 100 percent of the funds raised. Rack Room Shoes also donates $50,000 annually, nationwide to schools affiliated with Shoes That Fit but are not enrolled in our program.
To assist with fundraising success, we decided to use the back-to-school and holiday time periods. During those promotional periods, our associates ask customers to donate to support their local schools. Rack Room Shoes provides a matching corporate donation of $300,000, that is distributed to all local schools in our program.
Fairchild Studio: How does Rack Room Shoes select the schools that will participate in the Shoes That Fit program?
T.F.: The criteria that the program follows is to partner with schools where a high percentage of students are from low-income families (Title 1) or have a high population of free/reduced lunch qualifying students. Most schools are also located near our brick-and-mortar locations across the country.
Fairchild Studio: Are there any standout success stories of how the partnership with Shoes That Fit has made an impact on a child’s school experience?
T.F.: Since partnering with Shoes That Fit, we’ve received numerous heartwarming success stories that highlight the impact on children’s school experience. One memorable story that has touched the hearts of our company involved a student who was removed from his home by Child Protective Services and placed in a new home and school with very few belongings.
Before the student left our partnered school, the school was able to supply the student with resources to get him transitioned smoothly to his new home. They allowed the student to “shop” at their local pantry and pick out a pair of shoes, supplied by the Shoes That Fit program. He was said to have loved his pair of shoes so much, that he’d been running down the hallways to show off how much faster he could run. Hearing that a small gesture instilled confidence and joy in a child’s daily school life makes it worth all our efforts.
Fairchild Studio: In addition to the financial contributions, what are some other ways Rack Room Shoes supports the partner schools and fosters community engagement?
T.F.: To ensure our partnered schools stay supported, our store managers remain committed to their partner schools throughout the year. We also foster community engagement through many of our other Rack Room Shoes Gives initiatives.
Fairchild Studio: How do you envision the future development of the Shoes That Fit campaign as it aligns with Rack Room Shoes’ broader corporate social responsibility goals?
T.F.: Rack Room Shoes is committed to upholding our social responsibility and with the Shoes That Fit, we have seen the meaningful impact it has made in our communities. Year after year, our program has shown continual growth with an average of 15-plus schools added annually and increased customer donations.
Part of the success is due to our store managers being highly dedicated to the company’s initiative, actively fostering positive change in their partnered schools and communities. We envision future growth and development of this campaign to continue supporting families in our local communities.
