Shoes have always meant something special to me.
Growing up in a small town, my parents worked hard to make sure we had everything we needed. We didn't have much extra money, but they always found a way to provide for our family.
As a kid who loved sports, I always wanted one thing but didn't necessarily need it: a cool pair of athletic shoes.
I grew up watching my favorite athletes play in the coolest shoes. Michael Jordan and the other basketball players I looked up to wore shoes I dreamed of owning, but my family couldn't easily afford them.
I still remember getting my first pair of Nike basketball shoes in fifth grade. I remember opening the box, the smell of those brand-new shoes, and how it felt to lace them up for the first time. I felt like I could do anything.
I took care of those shoes like they were my baby because, to me, they represented something much bigger than what I wore on my feet. They gave me confidence. They made me feel special. And in some small way, they made me believe I could become like the athletes I admired.
Looking back, I realize those shoes didn't make me a better basketball player. But they made me feel like one. And sometimes, especially when you're a kid, that feeling can mean everything.
That's what Giving Soles is about. It's about giving children the chance to feel that same excitement, confidence, and hope. It's not just a new pair of shoes. It's a reminder that they matter, that someone believes in them, and that those shoes can carry them to dreams worth chasing.
Because sometimes, a new pair of shoes is more than just a pair of shoes.
Partnership With Orlando Children’s Church
Bringing Hope to Children in Our Community
In September 2002, Peter and Isabel O'Driscoll founded Orlando Children's Church (OCC) to share the love of Jesus Christ and bring hope to children growing up in underserved communities throughout Central Florida. What began with just two vans picking up approximately ten children on a Saturday morning has grown into a ministry that has impacted the lives of hundreds of children and families throughout Orlando.
Every Saturday morning, OCC sends buses into local communities to bring children to a place where they can enjoy a warm breakfast, join in fun activities, build friendships, and spend time with caring volunteers committed to making a positive difference in their lives. Beyond the food, games, and Bible lessons, OCC offers something even more meaningful: building relationships with children who may not always have the encouragement, stability, and opportunities many of us take for granted.
For more than two decades, their ministry has shown children that they are loved, that their lives have value, and that regardless of their circumstances, people care about them and believe in their future.
It's this commitment to serving children and making a meaningful difference in their lives that makes Orlando Children's Church such a natural partner for Giving Soles.
Through our partnership, we have the opportunity to come alongside an organization that has spent years investing in children throughout our community and contribute to their mission by providing something that might seem simple to many of us, but can mean so much to a child who receives it.
We hope that every brand-new pair of shoes we give will provide more than comfort and protection for their feet, but also a sense of excitement, confidence, and hope that reminds these children they are valued, loved, and capable of pursuing dreams that may seem beyond their reach.
300 Pairs of Shoes for the December 12th OCC Christmas Party!
Every year, Orlando Children's Church hosts a Christmas party that brings children from the communities they serve together for a special day filled with joy, laughter, and celebration. With games, bounce houses, delicious food, Christmas presents, and plenty of opportunities to have fun, this event is about much more than celebrating the holiday season. It's a chance to make every child feel special, loved, and reminded that people in their community genuinely care about them.
This year, Giving Soles has set a goal of providing 300 brand-new pairs of athletic shoes for the children attending OCC's annual Christmas party, hoping every child will leave the celebration with a new pair of shoes on their feet and a smile on their face.
Through the generosity of our Competitor Performance Academy family, local businesses, friends, and supporters throughout Central Florida, we hope to make this goal a reality and create a Christmas memory these children will carry with them long after the celebration is over.
For some of these children, this may be their very first pair of brand-new athletic shoes, and we want them to experience that same excitement, confidence, and hope that inspired Giving Soles in the first place.
Our goal is 300 pairs of shoes, but our mission is much bigger than that. We want every child to walk away knowing they matter, that someone believes in them, and that the shoes on their feet can carry them toward dreams worth chasing.