People were lined up for several blocks Monday at a St. Joseph agency waiting for help outfitting their children with new shoes for the start of the school year.

AFL-CIO Community Services held the Sole for Christ shoe distribution Monday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its location at 1203 N. 6th St.  Penny Adams, the agency’s executive director said hundreds were lined up when they opened up the doors.

“They were wrapped around our building and up Powell Street,” Adams said.

She said some of the first people in line said they had been there since 8 p.m. Sunday.

“They camped out the night before to get these shoes.  That’s how important and valuable these shoes are to these families,” Adams said. “For some of us that can afford it you don’t realize how hard it is to get kids in school and the cost.  When there’s programs like this to help them save a little bit of money the parents really appreciate it.”

Students from preschool through 12th grade in Buchanan and Andrew counties and Doniphan county in Kansas are eligible for a free pair of tennis shoes through the program. Adams said parents need to bring their children with them, proof of residency and a school ID or birth certificate.  Around 1:30 p.m. Monday, Adams estimated around 500 children had already been outfitted for the school year with a new pair of shoes.

“Last year we served 1,006 kids so we expect to serve that many this year and we wouldn’t be surprised to see an increase,” Adams said. “Every year all the prices of school supplies and school clothes and the fees all go up and wages aren’t doing the same thing…This program saves some families quite a bit of money depending on how many kids you have.”

The agency will be open again, Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the shoe distribution.

Community donations have made the shoe distribution possible. Adams said around 2,500 pairs were donated and that it’s not too late make a donation.

“We always have a little bit left at the end of the program but we save it for start up for next year and for anybody that doesn’t make the program throughout the year,” she said. ” We always hear about kids that need shoes and we still try to help them out.”

For more information contact AFL-CIO Community Services at (816) 364-1131.