First Methodist provides shoes to students

By RAY QUIROGA
publisher@sbnewspaper.com

A group of San Benito schoolchildren are starting the school year literally on the right foot, compliments of the First United Methodist Church of San Benito.

What has now become an annual project, the church, in a joint effort with the San Benito CISD’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Program, which identified qualifying students, reached out to the parents and guardians of those area youths to provide them a pair of new shoes which those children were able to choose for themselves based on what was in stock at the store.

Patricia Morrow, a retired educator and a member of the church’s congregation who helps organize the event, said a total of 134 pairs of shoes were purchased for 42 San Benito families, adding that the church has coordinated the giveaway, called In His Steps (IHS), for the past 25 years.

Morrow said churchgoers actively raise funds for IHS year-round, mostly through community donations, adding that residents at San Benito’s Fun-N-Sun RV Resort, are especially valuable contributors.

She added that the giveaway event started being held at the local Walmart store in 2017 after the closing of the adjacent Payless store. According to Morrow, Walmart’s role is to facilitate the children and families and to make sure that the location has enough shoes in stock for the event.

Church member and program volunteer Susan Thompson added that this year’s event serviced 274 school-aged students, representing 82 families, and costing $5,125.50. Event coordinators concurred that post-COVID economic stresses, which now include inflation, has increased the need for such services offered by the IHS program, explaining that in 2021, the program serviced 45 families and has seen a steady increase in need and expenses. The final price tag for the shoes last year reached $2,512.58, by comparison to this year.

Amy Rodriguez, a 16-year San Benito CISD veteran educator, first-year director of the district’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) program, and San Benito High School Class of 2001 Valedictorian, said the program surveys families it services to access those in need of resources and assists those families, where it can, based on the survey.

“I think (programs akin to IHS) are a huge help, especially in areas like this (the RGV) where we’re a low socioeconomic area but also an area where you have a lot of single-parent households or households that are guided by grandparents, so I think every little bit helps, absolutely,” Rodriguez said.

Morrow concluded by saying that those wishing to donate to the program can contact the church at (956) 399-2187 or by visiting the church office at 400 N. Sam Houston Blvd., San Benito.