A CrossFit coach and an emergency room physician have teamed up to help the homeless. They are putting shoes on the sick in Skid Row, and they are our KNX Helpful Honda Heroes of the Week!
Dr. Luke Palmisano works at Dignity Health - California Hospital Medical Center, in downtown Los Angeles. It's blocks away from one the most at-risk neighborhoods in the nation. Many of the homeless people who come to his emergency room are barefoot.
"They often come in with no shoes on, which is a sad state of affairs," says the E.R. physician. "We have these nice little hospital socks, that have little grippers on the bottom. It was always sad, that that was all we had to offer."
Angela Armijo is a coach at CrossFit Echo Park, and is a family friend to Dr. Palmisano. The two were thinking of ways to connect their fellow members to those who need a little help, when the idea developed to donate their high-quality CrossFit shoes.
"We go through them quite quickly in CrossFit," explains Dr. Palmisano. "We wear off little tiny spots, that makes them not really good for "double-unders," or jumping on a box. But, they are really decent shoes, and we all have closets full of extra pairs of them that we use for yard work, and stuff like that."
Angela says the response was incredible, with CrossFit members jumping at the chance to help out! Dozens of shoes quickly filled a donation box, and word spread among the CrossFit community.
"I think it just represents what our goals are, as a CrossFit gym," remarks Angela. "Reaching out to those who might need it, and offering our services."
In just a short time, hundreds of pairs have been gathered. The shoes are sanitized and bagged-up, then organized per size. Dr. Palmisano keeps them at the emergency room, and grabs a pair when needed.
E.R. physician Dr. Luke Palmisano and Echo Park CrossFit Coach Angela Armijo are the KNX Heroes of Week!
"We got them better in the E.R. And, then we were able to send them out with a high-quality pair of shoes, that will hopefully last them for a long time!" Angela says the CrossFit Shoe Share is more than just giving away shoes, its helping a transient population that is often outcast. "(It’s about) that human connection. That's what we were really going for."
Angela and Dr. Palmisano would love help others organize a similar CrossFit shoe drive! To get connected, go to the gym's website at https://www.crossfitechopark.com/
You can also connect on their Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/crossfitechopark/
KNX Heroes is brought to you by California Resources Corporation, saluting our military veterans, and all of our heroes! Go to CRC.com for more information.
Find out what your Helpful SoCal Honda Dealers are up to by heading to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SoCalHondaDealers/
Do you have someone you'd like to nominate as an upcoming KNX Hero of the Week? Click fill to fill out a nomination form here: https://www.audacy.com/knxnews/nominate
