Back-to-school sneaker drive provides shoes for kids

What started as gifting a single pair of shoes turned into a full day of giving for LaToya Williams, providing more than 125 pairs of shoes for kids just in time for the new school year.

“I had a couple pairs of shoes I wanted to donate to a kid going back to school,” Williams said. “I decided to see if there were other people who had shoes they wanted to donate.”

Williams took it upon herself to pass out flyers and raise support to give back to the community by setting up a time and place for kids to receive a new or lightly used pair of shoes, socks, wristbands, motivational cards and pens. She said the majority of donations came from family and friends.

“A child having new or even lightly worn shoes if they’re not brand new boosts self-confidence,” Williams said. “Kids pick on you for how you look or what you wear, and as an adult, I don’t think I wear my shoes all the way down until they’re unwearable. It’s a benefit to self-confidence. Kids came in today with eyes lighting up. It’s just so nice to be able to do something for the community like this.”

The giveaway was held at the Brisket Bar on Sunday afternoon. Williams said Brisket Bar owner Dwight David was essential in pulling the whole shoe drive together.

“It’s a collaborative effort between us and the Brisket Bar,” Williams said. “I came in for lunch one day and I asked if I could leave a flyer, and he (David) asked where it was going to be held at. He said we were free to use his facilities to host this.”

Williams said more than 30 families registered for the event, each receiving at least one pair of shoes.

“It’s nice to be able to do something to give back to the community,” David said. “It’s really iron sharpening iron when we can come together and do things like this instead of just taking from the community. It’s giving back.”

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