Ever heard the saying "walk a mile in my shoes"? Well, that can be hard to do if you can't afford any. It's why a young Miami businessman is stepping up but he needs your help. It’s called the "Give a Shoe" campaign.
In the game of life, not all players come out on top.
"The negative options are those options that they face every day just being on the streets," explained Tina Brown, Overtown Youth Center’s Executive Director. "Most of our students’ parents are single, over 80 percent of them, and their median income is around $15,000-20,000 a year.” It's why the center is hard at work offering youngsters a positive direction.
Twenty-four-year-old Ali Kareem is trying to help. His online company, Sneaker Me Stupid, centered around pop culture is something young people can relate to. So he's working on a campaign collecting something every child needs.
"I've been single parent-raised by my mother. My mom, through these times, has been laid off, so I know what it's like to maybe not have or want and not be able to get your hands on," Kareem said.
Through the end of December, anyone can drop off new or gently used sneakers at the Overtown Youth Center, ATC Miami in Miami Beach, or the Shoe Gallery on NE 1st Ave in Miami. Each pair will be put to good use.
“Most of our kids come from families of three or five. So then, just saying go to the mall and pick out a pair of shoes, it's not that easy," Brown explained. "They don't have the opportunity or the chance or the privilege to go shop or go get what they want," Kareem pointed out.
Who knows, one donation may be the slam dunk these students need to kick off the new year.
