East Palo Alto students find new shoes in backpacks filled with supplies

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. (KGO) -- Students at Green Oaks Academy and Cesar Chavez Academy in East Palo Alto received backpacks Thursday filled with school supplies, new shoes and other supplies to help them get the school year off to the right start.

"I'm excited and happy," said student Elizabeth James.

"I got purple shoes," said 4th grader Anna Lolomanaia.

The non-profit My New Red Shoes is giving all 492 kindergarten through 8th grade students a pair of shoes, a $50 gift card to Old Navy for school uniforms and a backpack full of supplies.

The organization started in 2006 and has helped out 2,800 homeless and low income students.

"They get to start school with the same confidence. Not only because it's a need but because it gives them a confidence. We call it simple gift, remarkable results," said Timi Most of My New Red Shoes.

98 percent of students who live in the Ravenswood City School District live in poverty. Investments like this and others are helping educators in East Palo Alto reach their goal of making college a reality for their students.

Facebook recently donated laptops and $1 million to fund more science teachers, leadership development and a literacy campaign.

The students expressed their gratitude by writing thank you notes Thursday.

"Thank you for being nice to people and thank you for your hard work," said student Alexa Villagomez.

Each pair of shoes comes in a handmade bag with a handwritten note wishing the students a good school year.