The Shoe That Grows

The Shoe That Grows started when Founder and Executive Director Kenton Lee was living and working in Nairobi, Kenya in 2007.

One day while walking to church, he noticed a little girl in a white dress next to him who had shoes that were way to small for her feet. That led to questions about why. And finally an idea. Lee thought “Wouldn’t it be great if there was a shoe that could adjust and expand – so that kids always had a pair of shoes that fit?”

Over 2 billion people in the world suffer from soil-transmitted parasites and diseases. The Shoe That Grows is a better solution to help children protect their feet than just regular shoes, shoes that don’t fit, or no shoes at all. The Shoe That Grows adjusts five sizes and last five years – providing better protection and better health for children.

The Shoe That Grows is a patented design of an innovative shoe that adjusts and expands. It was developed in part by a shoe development company in the Northwest called Proof of Concept. The shoe comes in two sizes: Small and Large. Each size grows 5 sizes and lasts at least 5 years. Small = Grows 5 sizes – From Kindergarten to 4th Grade Large = Grows 5 sizes – From 5th Grade to 9th Grade. The Shoe is made with simple materials – leather, compressed rubber, and snaps. No mechanical parts of gears to break. Easy to clean. Easy to use.

One of the best parts of The Shoe That Grows is how easy it is to transport. It compresses into itself so that you can fit 50 pairs of shoes in a regular suitcase that weighs under 50 pounds. You can take 50 pairs of shoes in a suitcase on a plane. Incredible.