The Raiders may not officially add the Las Vegas portion of their name until 2020 when they permanently relocate to Las Vegas, but the team is already making a massive difference in the local community.
In partnership with the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation (GTSF), the Raiders this week partnered with Las Vegas first responders, from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Clark County Fire Department, to give away 400 pairs of shoes to children at Rex Bell Elementary School.
The Goodie Two Shoes Foundation provides disadvantaged children and children in crisis with new shoes and socks, as well as other items deemed essential for good health and positive development. GTSF outfits more than 10,000 Southern Nevada students annually. Each school year, GTSF identifies up to 25 schools in our District with significant populations of children in need of our resources.
Raiders alumni Roy Hart, Reggie Kinlaw, and Chris McAlister, and the Raiderettes joined officers from Metro and members of Clark County Fire to distribute the much-needed items to local kids in need.
GTSF’s unique distribution model is based on the premise that they don’t just provide a child in need with a new pair of shoes. Rather, they measure their feet on-site to ensure proper fit. They pair them one-on-one with a community volunteer whom takes a special interest and walks them through the process. They make them the center of attention, and, most importantly, they empower them with choice by giving them the opportunity to select any properly-fitting pair of sneakers they want from GTSF’s large stock of high-quality athletic shoes, just like the ones their friends at school might be wearing. The experience boosts confidence and self-esteem, and immediately eliminates one of the most visible signs of poverty. GTSF’s passion and belief in the power of choice has created a very unique model that solves a community problem while creating positive and constructive synergy between students, teachers, administrators, community volunteers, and funders.
It’s the third major community event held by the Raiders and their local partners in the past three weeks.
For more on the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation, visit www.goodietwoshoes.org.
Photos from the Event:
