When it comes to sneakers, more often than not it’s easier to get caught up in the negativity. Bots. Horribly organized releases. The debate of “hypebeasts” and “gatekeepers.” Extremely limited collabs. Reselling.
There’s a lot of moments within the sneaker community that often masks what’s most important — the people.
A wise man once told me, “it’s not about the shoes. It’s about the people wearing them.” That, before anything else, is what makes the sneaker community different from any other. The passion and love for sneakers is what fuels us. It’s often what drives us. For Alex Rodriguez — founder of Kicks For Kids — it’s the people that make everything worth it.
“The product I would get from different brands, I would just take it an give it away to homies who were skating or playing basketball,” Rodriguez said. “There was one kid who was young and was going to have a kid soon. I saw him one day and said, ‘Man, your shoes are a little beat. What size are you?’ He said 10. I told him I’d hook him up next time,” he added.
“I gave him some Nike SB P-Rods and a random GR Jordan. He was the happiest guy in the world,” Rodriguez said. “He said, ‘I can have these? But they’re from your collection? That’s so dope.’ Seeing how he lit up, I needed to do something will all of the shoes I had. I just want to give back to all of these kids. I was once a kid who wanted, needed stuff. Now, if I can help kids who don’t have the means, it’s a beautiful thing,” Rodriguez said.
For the ninth time since its inception, Kicks For Kids brings the sneakerhead community together to give back to the Arizona community. Simply bringing in a new pair of shoes in a kids’ size not only guarantees your entrance but ensures that someone is being helped.
In addition to that, there’s a silent auction that features limited PEs, jerseys and other memorabilia as the proceeds will go and benefit local charities.
If you’re in Arizona, be sure to follow Kicks For Kids on Instagram here for more details, future events and more as event continues to grow and support those in need one pair of shoes at a time.
