NFL Pro Bowler Steve Smith Partners with Samaritan’s Feet for Los Angeles Shoe Distribution

5X NFL PRO BOWLER STEVE SMITH TO HOST SHOE DISTRIBUTION WITH SAMARITAN’S FEET

SATURDAY, JUNE 23 AT THE LA RESCUE MISSION FROM 10 AM – 2 PM PST

(LOS ANGELES, CA) – Carolina Panthers five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith is returning to his native Los Angeles to host Samaritan’s Feet “Shoes of Hope” on Saturday, June23.

The event takes place from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the LA Rescue Mission, 303 East 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013. Smith, alongside fellow professional athletes including National Soccer Hall of Fame player Cobi Jones, will cleanse the feet of and place new socks and shoes on more than 500 of the city’s homeless.

“In partnering with Samaritan’s Feet, my goals are to serve with my family; make an imprint on the world that aligns with my Creator; be the hands and feet of belief, faith, and trust; and contribute to the provision of 500,000 pairs of shoes over the next 3 years,” says Smith.

Smith’s dedication to the millions of people in the U.S. who go without shoes or are wearing shoes two-to-three sizes to small, leaving them susceptible to foot-borne illnesses, will continue throughout the 2012 NFL Season. Before each of the Panthers’ eight away games and at Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans, Smith will lead the charge of NFL players, families and friends, community leaders and volunteers to distribute new socks and shoes to those in need.

“By getting involved with us and providing a voice for the voiceless, Steve has elevated the awareness of the impoverished in the US and around the world,” says Manny Ohonme, Founder of Samaritan’s Feet. “Serving those in need is a great opportunity to bring hope and encouragement to those who are struggling financially. In addition, we are profoundly grateful for the dedicated volunteers who donate their time and energy to give back to those in need.”

About Samaritan’s Feet

Samaritan’s Feet is a 501(c)(3), humanitarian aid organization that shares a message of hope and love through washing the feet of impoverished children around the world and adorning them with new shoes. There are an estimated 300 million children who go without shoes every day and more than 1 million that die each year from foot-borne disease. Our goal is to provide 10 million pairs of shoes for 10 million impoverished children in the next 10 years, and since 2003 Samaritan’s Feet and its team of 70,000 ambassadors have blessed nearly 4 million children in over 62 nations. Samaritan’s Feet was started in 2003 by Manny Ohonme who received his first pair of shoes at the age of 9 from a missionary. Those shoes allowed him to learn and play the game of basketball, which ultimately earned him a scholarship to the University of North Dakota (Lake Region).

About Steve Smith

A Los Angeles native, Steve graduated from University High School in 1997 and went on to graduate from the University of Utah where he was a standout football player in the Mountain West Conference. Steve was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2001 in the third round of the NFL Draft and has gone on to become one of the most accomplished and prolific wide receivers to ever play in the NFL. A five-time Pro-Bowler and three-time All-Pro player, Smith is only the 35thplayer to amass 10,000 receiving yards. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. With appreciation for his alma mater, he and his wife, Angie, comma have set up a scholarship endowment at Utah. Steve and his family are planning trips to Peru, Israel and many other places around the world to serve those in need.

About Cobi Jones:

A 12-year starter and former assistant coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy, Cobi Jones parlayed his soccer career into broadcasting and can now be seen providing game analysis for Time Warner Sports and Fox Soccer Channel. A three-time US World Cup star and 1992 US Olympian, Jones is the all-time leader in appearances for the US Men’s National Team and was inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame in 2011. Considered the “Original Cobi” in Los Angeles, Jones, graduated from West Lake High School and played soccer at UCLA. Jones will be launching his foundation in the coming months to prevent childhood obesity in the greater Los Angeles area.

The Los Angeles Rescue Mission is located at: 303 East 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013.

* This is not open to the public. Media please RSVP and inquire for more information to:
Todd Melloh
Samaritan’s Feet
317-417-3525
tmelloh@samaritansfeet.org
www.samaritansfeet.org

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