Rikki Mendias loved sneakers so much, he eventually racked up a collection of over 100 pairs. He kept collecting more and more sneakers over the years, until one day, he realized there was a void in his life.
"Basketball is my favorite sport. If I'm able to encourage them and inspire them to go harder in their sport, that feeling is really unmatched," said Mendias, who is the founder of a nonprofit called Hav A Sole.
Now, not only has Mendias donated his own collection, through his nonprofit, he's working with 10 Nike stores across Los Angeles to bring shoes to at-risk, underprivileged, and the homeless.
Mendias can trace his inspiration for Hav A Sole back to when he was 10 years old. At the time, his family was bouncing from shelter to shelter and couldn't afford to buy him a new pair of shoes. It was around that period that one person gave Mendias a gift he would never forget.
"This woman that lived in the shelter before us bought me two pairs of Vans and I just remember that being a very special moment," said Mendias.
In South Los Angeles, Hav A Sole partnered with the Watts Skills Academy, a youth basketball team lead by LAPD officer, Ivan Lombard-Jackson. The conditions of the shoes worn by the many of the kids participating in the program were varied, but most were old and worn. One thing that was consistent though, was the look of gratitude that beamed across the children on the team's faces as they were each handed a new pair of basketball shoes.
For officer Lombard-Jackson, being able to connect his team with Mendias's nonprofit was a slam dunk.
"You look down at your feet and you see a brand new pair of sneakers. That automatically gives you confidence in yourself, which is something that we are trying to build," Lombard-Jackson said.
Mendias continues to collect and donate shoes for homeless and at-risk youth throughout Los Angeles County. Sharing his passion for shoes with those in need through Hav A Sol has brought the former sneaker hound more fulfillment than owning his own collection ever did.