For the second year in a row, a community advocate is raising money to buy disadvantaged kids new sneakers for the upcoming school year—but the window to sign up closes soon.
Marcus Reese, the founder of the “Best Foot Forward Initiative,” as well as several other area nonprofits, said families wishing to register their child for a new pair of free shoes for the school year need to submit requests by the end of July.
Those wishing to donate are also looking at the same timeframe.
“My intention is to make sure that any families that need shoes don’t miss the window,” Reese said. “There’s only two more weeks for families to sign up for shoes. We’ve done about 200 pairs since this initiative started, and we have 125 kids signed up for this August.”
As with last year, recipients will remain anonymous, Reese said.
“We are not going to take pictures of any recipient receiving shoes,” Reese said. “This year we do have a signup sheet, and that sheet will be shredded when we are done, but it’s only so we don’t miss people.”
Reese already has received a lot of positive feedback on social media about the project, he said.
“In May, I said I’m just going to put the feelers out there in the community to see if people are going to need help again,” Reese said. “Watching the economy and the prices of food, I realized people are kind of in a worse situation than what they were in last year, so some of the same people who needed help last year need help again, but there are also a lot of brand new people who need help.”
One of the biggest donors is Michael Van Jones, an owner of Vintique Mall, who recently posted a video on Facebook paying tribute to Reese’s efforts.
“Growing up in the ‘90s, (star athlete) Michael Jordan was a big inspiration to me,” Van Jones said in the video. “I remember my parents taking me in my early teens to the sneaker store to get some fresh Jordans once a year, and it was a big treat.”
Van Jones said Taylor residents who can afford to step up and help disadvantaged local youth should not hesitate.
“It’s important for kids who don’t have the opportunity to have their parents buy them shoes that the town comes together with Marcus to get shoes for the kids,” Van Jones said. “Marcus, you are doing a great job for the community. You have shown up, and we appreciate you.”
To sign up for Best Foot Forward or to donate, contact bestfootforward76574@ gmail.com. In addition, contributions can be made directly to Eagle Bank, N.W. 106 Carlos G. Parker Blvd., to the “Best Foot Forward” account.
