In partnership with Shoes That Fit, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation provided 600 pairs of new athletic shoes and a ticket for a future Dodgers game to every student at Payne STEAM Academy in Inglewood on Tuesday.
STF raised $93,000 through the 2023 Opening Day fundraising event to distribute new kicks for kids in need. Since receiving this grant, STF has provided more than 2,000 pairs of shoes to youths across Los Angeles.
Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas participated in the event by giving away shoes to students and interacting with them. Rojas is a big sneakerhead, including having custom sneakers and cleats.
“I think these kids will remember this day for the rest of their lives,” STF Chief Strategy Officer Nekeda Newell-Hall said. “Not only [Rojas], but for us to bring so many community activists and district officials … descending on the school and letting the kids know that we care about them.”
Shoes That Fit is a national nonprofit organization based in Claremont, California. STF tackles one of the biggest signs of poverty in America by giving children in need new athletic shoes to attend school and be prepared to learn, play and thrive. In 2023, Shoes That Fit delivered new athletic shoes to over 164,000 children across 50 states.
The LADF and Shoes That Fit have been partners since 2019 and have given away 3,100 sneakers since the start of the partnership. LADF has invested $158,000 to support STF’s mission to provide new athletic shoes.
LADF Chief Operating Officer Chaitali Gala Mehta said shoes are needed in everyone’s life.
“We know that a good pair of fitting shoes is a basic essential. It’s what allows kids to feel comfortable, confident, show up to school to feel proud and ready to learn,” Gala Mehta said. “Ultimately that’s our goal, we really envision a city where every Angeleno regardless of their zip code has an opportunity to thrive and this is one of the ways we support that.”
Gala Mehta joined the LADF in 2014 as the director of grants and strategic partnerships. She built the foundation’s grantmaking program, which has supported more than 250 grantees and partners.
Tuesday was the first of three LADF and STF distributions across Los Angeles. The next two events will take place on August 24 during Dodger Day No. 6 at Salt Lake Park in Huntington Park and on August 31 during Dodger Day No. 7 at Heartwell Park in Long Beach.
The LADF’s mission is to improve education, health care, homelessness, and social justice through proven programs in underserved communities. The LADF was reimagined in 2013 and has since raised over $154 million. The foundation has invested more than $60 million in a variety of grants and programs to local organizations, which have impacted more than 10 million kids.
Gala Mehta said having the opportunity to be part of the LADF makes her days better.
“When I get to see young people’s faces, whether it’s Shoes that Fit distribution, an L.A. Reads or at a Dodger Dreamfield, there are so many amazing touchpoints and investments we get to make with this great brand,” she said. “I just feel fortunate every single day to wake up and work further for our mission to have a lasting impact in Los Angeles.”