Detroit Pistons Donate 1,000 New Shoes to Children


The Detroit Pistons and presenting sponsor National City teamed-up with Samaritan’s Feet to tip-off their 2009-10 season by donating 1,000 pairs of new shoes and socks to pre-identified children from the metro Detroit area on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 from 4-7 p.m. at Boll Family YMCA (1401 Broadway, Detroit, MI 48226). The entire Pistons team will be on-hand to help distribute the shoes during the event.

“During hard times such as these, it is even more important we find ways to help children with basic needs such as shoes,” said Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince. “We are excited to participate in this event and give back to the Detroit community.”

Employees from National City, Fathead, Palace Sports & Entertainment and Pistons mascot Hooper will be volunteering during the event. This event is part of the NBA Cares “Week of Service” where every NBA team is giving a day of service to their local community. Fathead is also supporting National City and the Pistons to help provide the 1,000 pairs of shoes and socks. Parking accommodations were made possible by the Detroit Opera House.

Samaritan’s Feet, founded in 2003, is a humanitarian relief organization based in Charlotte, NC that puts shoes on the feet of children all around the world. With over 300 million children going without shoes everyday, their goal is to provide 10 million pairs of shoes to 10 million impoverished people in 10 years. To date, nearly one million pairs of shoes have been collected for children around the world.

President and Founder, Manny Ohonme, received his first pair of shoes at the age of 9 from a missionary. He started playing basketball and other sports with these new pair of shoes and earned a spot on a traveling basketball team and eventually his high school team. Upon graduating high school, he was offered a scholarship to play basketball at the University of North Dakota (Lake Region), where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees.

To learn more about their organization, www.samaritansfeet.org or contact Todd Melloh at 317-417-3525.

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