December 16, 2022
Donating over 200 pairs of shoes is no small feat for Greenville High School senior Alan Rios. With the help of Cliff, Brooke and Morgan Jones, he more than tripled his first shoe donation from September 2021.
When Alan first reached out to Parent Involvement Facilitator Whitney Threatt, he had no idea how big his impact would grow to be.
Click here to view more photos on Greenville ISD PRIDE Center Facebook page.
The first donation of 60 pairs of brand new, brand name shoes were quickly distributed to students in need, who appreciated them beyond words. When Alan prepared to make a second donation, the Jones family matched his amount. Together they provided more than 120 pairs of shoes. The shoes were gifted to students who otherwise might not ever own new shoes, much less brand name shoes like Alan donated.
“I remember a second grade boy coming to me with soaking wet shoes after stepping in a puddle on the way to school,” said Whitney. “Then I noticed the soles of his shoes were falling apart, exposing his wet socks. He told me they were hand-me-down shoes from his big brother.”
Whitney recalled handing the boy a pair of brand new Nike sneakers to try on and his face lighting up as soon as he slipped them on.
“He kept asking if I was sure he didn’t need to bring them back. He couldn’t believe they were his to keep,” Whitney said.
After hearing this and similar stories of the impact the shoes had, Alan knew he wanted to do it again. This week, Alan and Morgan delivered over 200 pairs of shoes, ranging in sizes to fit Pre-K to high school students.
“Alan’s donations mean more than he realizes to the students in our district, some of which may be sitting next to him in class,” Whitney said. “It’s amazing and inspiring to remember he’s still in school himself, juggling tests and homework on top of helping others.”
Alan expressed his gratitude to the Jones family for matching his shoe donation, pair for pair. Their generosity guarantees many students will be walking the halls of Greenville ISD with brand new shoes on their feet when they return to school on January 3.
