Stockbridge teen launches ‘Kicks for Kids’ to provide shoes for students

Caleb Sanders, a 16-year-old student at Eagles Landing Christian Academy in Stockbridge, knows what it means to be a team player.

After all, he’s spent most of his years playing basketball at the private Christian school. But after noticing that some of his teammates and other players from opposing teams didn’t seem to own a good pair of sneakers, he decided to launch an effort beyond what he witnessed on the basketball courts.

The initiative is known as Kicks for Kids. Its motive is to supply students from kindergarten to 12th grade with suitable shoes that can be worn for sports, such as basketball, or casually throughout the day.

“We came up with the idea in October of last year,” Sanders said. “I spoke with Mayor Pro Tem (Yolanda) Barber at a church event, and that’s when the pieces started to come together.”

Kicks for Kids hopes to supply students from kindergarten to 12th grade with suitable shoes. (Photo provided by Clayton News-Daily)

The endeavor came as no shock to Sanders’ father, who is the senior pastor at Stockbridge First United Methodist Church.

“The impetus came from him and we’re just trying to support it,” said his father, Lavell Sanders. “He has played sports since he was 4-years-old, but he always had a passion for others. So, when I was able to do some coaching in a recreation league sometimes the kids who showed up didn’t have the best athletic shoes on.”

“When we asked (Caleb) about something he felt passionate about, he said he wanted to try and help other kids who wanted to play sports, but may not have the resources to go out and buy shoes for whatever it might be.”

Caleb was joined by his father, Stockbridge Mayor Pro Tem Barber, and a few volunteers at the Stockbridge First United Methodist Church on July 1 to kickoff the shoe drive.

Together, they collected 69 pairs of shoes for the cause.

The effort was one that Joe’L Montez, co-owner of Sneaka Plug, was delighted to assist as he and his wife donated nearly a dozen pairs of shoes to the drive.

“He’s all about sneakers,” said Shantelle Montez. “We are here today to support Caleb and his desire to give back to the community.”

Joe’L Montez,(middle) co-owner of Sneaka Plug in Stockbridge donates 12 pairs of shoes during the July 1 drive for the Kicks for Kids cause. (Photo provided by Clayton News-Daily)

A second drive is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 15. The shoes collected from each drive will then be distributed to interested youths during a Back-to-School Giveaway on Saturday, July 23.