LEWISTON —Local businessman Jim Wellehan will distribute shoes to residents of River Valley Village on Monday.

Wellehan, owner of Lamey-Wellehan Shoes stores, has been collecting donations of gently worn shoes at his six locations and arranging for distribution of the shoes to people in the community. Last year, he collected and distributed about 10,000 pairs of shoes in Maine.

Wellehan said this concept originated from the Lewiston/Auburn Association to Support Homelessness. His original goal was to help the homeless, but he became stunned by the need throughout the state. He’s noticed that the need for shoes is great with other vulnerable populations, including kids during the back-to-school season, women previously in abusive relationships and recent immigrants.

On Monday, Wellehan and representatives of the Caleb Foundation, which owns River Valley Village (formerly Tall Pines), will distribute about 300 pairs of shoes to families living in the village housing.

Shoe donations may be brought to any of the Lamey-Wellehan locations or to collection boxes at Time Warner offices and Hannaford stores.

For more information, go to lwshoes.com.