In 2010, Fargo Marathon, Inc. established its Shoes for Kids Campaign and it has been going strong ever since!  We are proud to say that over 10,000 pairs of shoes have been given out to children throughout our community. Over 2,000 pairs were donated in 2020, and with your help, we're looking to exceed that total in 2021!

It’s very easy for us to take things like shoes for granted, but the reality is that many students in our community don’t have the luxury of something as simple as a new pair of shoes.  In some schools, the percentage is as much as 50%.

As walkers and runners who participate in race events, we know how important shoes are.  We believe that no child should have to “sit out” of gym or extra-curricular sports because he or she doesn’t have a pair of shoes!  It’s also important for a child’s self-esteem!  Remember the first day of school when you were a kid?  You had those bright new shoes and it was great!  We believe every kid should have that same proud feeling!

So…we have partnered with some great companies in our community to bring this initiative…Shoes for Kids!  Companies such as BCBS of North Dakota, Discovery Benefits, JDP Electric, Heat Transfer Warehouse and Dakota Medical Foundation.

When you register for one of the events of the Sanford Fargo Marathon, you have the option to donate to Shoes for Kids, and we’d be grateful if you could.  We need to keep kids running strong for years to come!

Do you want to get involved? Do you want to buy a pair of shoes for a child in need? For only $30, you can help a child feel confident, comfortable, and encourage lifelong health and wellness by ‘buying’ a pair of shoes! Of course, we will accept any denomination of donation ~ 100% of the net proceeds will go to the Shoes for Kids campaign!

How can you help?