The First Day Shoe Fund (FDSF) is a local, grassroots initiative whose mission is to provide a unique service to children in grades K-2 in the Kalamazoo Public Schools system by distributing new shoes at the start of the school year. Valerie Denghel, Founder, realized this need through her work in KPS schools. Since many families are unable to purchase new shoes, many students are forced to wear shoes that are the incorrect size, tattered, or worn. The First Day Shoe Fund believes that every child should start off on equal footing, and distributes a new pair of properly fitting athletic shoes to those students in need. The goal is to help these students and ensure they have adequate footwear to begin the school year.