Give in to Hope Day 9: Nick Lowinger

Like yesterday’s hero Yash and his glasses, Nick Lowinger also had something many of us take for granted–lots of pairs of shoes. One day, young Nick visited a homeless shelter and saw how many of the children and teens there did not have shoes that fit or were practical for running, playing and going to school. The image of kids without shoes stayed with Nick and he did a shoe drive as part of his bar mitzvah (a ceremony that Jewish 12 and 13 year olds go through as part of their faith journey, like when our 8th graders do confirmation) that turned into a non-profit dedicated to providing as many pairs of shoes to homeless youth as possible. Nick’s non-profit is still running, and now has 2 partner programs–one providing shoes to veterans (people who served in the U.S. military) and another specifically providing athletic shoes so that kids can participate in sports.

To learn more about Nick and the Gotta Have Sole Foundation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6i2QIvYmqU

Think about your favorite pair of shoes–where did they come from? Were they a gift? What do you like to do in them? What would it be like to only have one pair of shoes to do every activity in–are there things you wouldn’t do anymore?

Closing prayer: Dear God, whether big or little, let me be grateful for all of the things that I have in my life, especially my shoes. Amen.