When local teenagers organized a red carpet charity event for hundreds of people, they did it in sneakers – and with a whole lot of heart. Justin and Kayla Tinucci, founders of local non-profit The Shoe Crew, hosted a Sweet 16 “Sneaker Ball” party for teen actress Faith Jefferies as a way to support their mission: to collect and distribute shoes to children and families in need.
Even without a charity donation, Faith’s celebration wasn’t your typical Sweet 16. The guest list for this “all-out black-tie” gala boasted tween celebs from Nickelodeon to Cartoon Network to Disney. The event was hosted at the Santa Clarita Activities Center on August 8, and hundreds of kids were in attendance, each donating a pair of new shoes as their event admission. The Shoe Crew has distributed more than 8,000 pairs of new shoes since 2012. In addition to collection and distribution, the young volunteers also personally size each child they serve.
To learn more about The Shoe Crew, visit www.theshoecrew.org or www.facebook.com/theshoecrew. Follow The Shoe Crew on Twitter @shoecrew2012.