Looking for a feel good story this Thanksgiving? Then look no further than Andre McDonnell and his It's From the Sole non-profit organization.
From SoHo to Grand Central Terminal, McDonnell walks around New York City handing out free sneakers to the homeless. McDonnell said he got the idea for Its's From the Sole one day after giving his shoes to a homeless man after playing a basketball game.
"I saw a homeless guy with no shoes on, so I left the ballgame, took off my shoes and offered him my sneakers and he took them with a smile," McDonnell told the New York Post. "As I walked away, I felt the gravel under my own feet, and it just hit me there has to be something more that I can do."
When his shift as head sales associate at Atrium is over, McDonnell walks the streets with a large bag of sneakers and gives them to the less fortunate. Before distributing the goods, McDonnell washes them at a laundromat with his own money, which costs him about $60 per week.
"The best feeling is to see a homeless person in the shoes I gave them," McDonnell said. "I know that they appreciate it, and it just may make their walk in life just a bit easier."
To get involved with the non-profit, visit It's From the Sole or contact McDonnell directly at andre@itsfromthesole.org​.
