IMPACT OF COVID-19
The pandemic has dealt a particularly devastating blow to children living in poverty. Faced with economic uncertainty, food insecurity and housing instability, these vulnerable children and students are unequally prepared to absorb the impacts of COVID-19.
The Sneaker Society was founded as a student-led initiative with the idea of collecting lightly-used sneakers from Los Angeles schools and distributing them to at-risk students in low-income school districts. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions and school closures, we can no longer source shoes from schools are now faced with the challenge of pivoting in order to keep our mission alive. Consequently, we have partnered with charity-minded corporate sponsors who identify with our mission of assisting children and young adults in underserved communities. Our first corporate sponsor is Round Two, the iconic sneaker-resale destination with outposts in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
Our second corporate sponsor is local small business, SandalBoyz, founded by first-generation Indonesian charity-minded entreupenurs. This business focuses on sustainability and giving back and in 2017, they donated all their profits towards helping victims of Hurricane Harvey. SandalBoyz generously donated over a hundred brand new sandals to at-risk youth in the underserved community of Watts, Los Angeles.