HAPPY FEET: Head Start children receive free shoes

Parents and students of the San Benito Head Start are seen at the local Payless Shoe Source, where Santa Claus distributed sneakers and other assorted foot apparel to the children. Shown with Santa during the giveaway are 3-year-old Leonardo Miranda and 4-year-old Victoria Heredia. (Staff photos by Heather Cathleen Cox)

By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com

Christmas looked a little merrier for parents with children in the Head Start program who received a pair of free children’s shoes or boots on Monday, December 17, at the Payless Shoe Source in San Benito.

For at least 10 years now, the Head Start Program of Cameron and Willacy Counties has donated shoes to qualifying children within their program, as a kind holiday gesture. A total of 230 children this year, 46 of whom reside in San Benito, were recipients of their choice of brand new shoes or boots, a $20 value, from Payless.

Employees of the Head Start program visited Brownsville and San Benito Payless stores on Monday and Harlingen and Raymondville stores on Tuesday to award the shoes. Jose Luis Carrizales is not only the Director of Human Resources of Head Start, he also dressed up as Santa Claus at each Payless location. Carrizales said, “It’s so beautiful to see all these children’s faces, to see them smile.”

Head Start Family Service Clerk, Tania Rivera, said this is just one event their program funds throughout the holiday season. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, Rivera mentioned, “we give out turkeys to families.”

Between Cameron and Willacy Counties, the Head Start Center will spend an estimated $4,600 on this shoe drive. In addition to the shoes, children were provided new socks and afforded the opportunity to be photographed with Santa. Each child also received a special goodie bag.