"We continue to work with additional programs and organizations that continue to share our mission to make sure that every girl that puts their feet in our shoes has confidence and self-esteem," she said. "That’s so important to us."

Due to such factors as improved nutrition and health, children today are taller than previous generations. They are also developing and entering puberty sooner, which means they are reaching their full adult height — and shoe size — at a much younger age. Just a generation ago, fewer than 5 percent of girls started puberty before the age of 8; today that percentage has more than doubled, according to Louise Greenspan, M.D., and Julianna Deardorff, Ph.D., authors of “The New Puberty.”

Saniya's mother, Gilene Janvier, said her daughter wears a size 9 in shoes at the age of 9. "Hannah's Shoebox provides us with an opportunity for her to find shoes that are, in my opinion, age-appropriate and comfortable for her," said Janvier.