A North Carolina community is doing what it can to make sure that no child goes without a new pair of shoes this school year. Yesterday, the 2nd Annual Back to School Sneaker Drive kicked off at Wilmington’s Portia Hines Park from 4p.m.-8p.m.
The coordinator of this event, Shawn Grady, after initially donating shoes to DC Virgo works with schools across New Hanover County, which contains Wilmington, to achieve his goal of making sure every child has a nice pair of shoes.
A lot of kids aren’t able, and their parents are not able, to get them brand new sneakers. So I try to help out as much as I can to get them a decent pair because kids are kids. Some kids get picked on because they don’t have new sneakers and I don’t want that. We don’t need that.” – Shawn Grady
Gently used or new shoes could be donated at the event, or parents could sign their child up to receive a pair of shoes.
Last year’s event generated 250 pairs of shoes and Grady is hoping to exceed that mark this year.
