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NCAA partners with Barefoot Coaches and Samaritan's Feet for Detroit Families!
Posted on March 31, 2009

 

(Volunteer Tiffani Lee washes the feet of a young boy at the Detroit Samaritan's Feet shoe distribution) 
 
 
 
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (April 2nd, 2009)- One thousand children in Detroit had their feet washed and were given a new pair of shoes as part of the NCAA Men’s Final Four Community Outreach on Thursday, April 2nd at the Coleman A Young Community Center.
 
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) teamed with the Detroit Local Organizing Committee (DLOC), Samaritan's Feet, the Best Western Greenfield Inn, and the National Association of Basketball Coaches' (NABC) to distribute the shoes to selected individuals in Detroit.
 
During this time, 20 NCAA college coaches and 100 volunteers demonstrated servant leadership by washing the feet of each shoe recipient, providing a message of hope and supplying each child with a new pair of shoes.
 
"This was an overwhelmingly positive experience," shared volunteer Shari White.  Shari White and volunteer Larry Jackson combined their efforts to recruit over seventy-five volunteers from the community to help at the event. 
 
The shoe distribution was part of the, “Barefoot For A Cause Campaign”, which was headlined by IUPUI Head Basketball Coach, Ron Hunter’s nationwide effort of coaching a game in his bare feet for Samaritan’s Feet. In January 2009, Coach Hunter was joined by nearly 1,000 basketball coaches who coached a game in their bare feet during the MLK Day weekend of January 16-18th. Their collected efforts raised over 1 million pairs of shoes. 

CBS Sports Broadcaster Clark Kellog helped organize shoes and socks prior to the arrival of the recipients, then came back in the afternoon to help as a 'shoe runner'--providing the volunteers with the correct shoe size for their individual shoe recipient.
 
Volunteeer Tiffani Lee (pictured above washing the feet of a child), was greatly impacted by her work with Samaritan's Feet.   "Spending the entire day with you guys was so amazing," Tiffani shared.  "I stand in complete awe of His love for us and was truly humbled to pay that love forward, persay.  I know I made a difference in the lives of those who God sent.  And, I am truly, truly thankful for the opportunity to serve."
 
Detroit Local Organizing Commitee Member Quentin Love spoke for many when he said, "Thank you Samaritan's Feet, for allowing us to take part in this awesome cause and bringing it to our region!"