LOCK HAVEN, Pa. — The old saying goes, "If the shoe fits, wear it." That's the motto at the Lock Haven Shoe Bank.
"it is a place where kids can find shoes in virtually any size, and they can get them for free if they qualify," said Diahann Claghorn, co-director of the shoe bank.
The shoe bank is outfitted with only new shoes that have never been worn. The shoe bank allows eligible kids and teens to choose a pair of new boots and new shoes to take home with them for no charge at all.
"Children need to have an ACCESS, CHIP, or similar insurance card to qualify, and they must live in the Keystone Central School District area."
The shoe bank is located inside Covenant United Methodist Church in Lock Haven, but you would never know–both the shoe and boot rooms look like an actual store.
"That is what we wanted it to look like, so the kids wouldn't feel different. We wanted them to have a shoe store experience," Claghorn said.
"We love to see them smile, and we love to hear them say, 'Oh, look at my new shoes!'" said co-director Wendy Doherty.
The shoe bank opens every third Saturday of most months. The shoe bank will open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 19, and families must make an appointment to reserve a time slot. You can reserve a spot through the shoe bank's Facebook page.
"If you want to contact us, we would love to hear from you. You can contact us even on the day we are open, and we may have cancellations earlier," Doherty said.
If you have new or unused shoes and want to donate them, you can contact Lock Haven Shoe Bank through their Facebook page.
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