A North Texas high school teacher noticed something going on with many of students....so he stepped in ...filling shoes with love and hope. He's this week's KRLD Difference Maker.
As a teacher Kimbell High School in Oak Cliff, Jesse Acosta noticed a problem among many of his students. They wearing old, barely usable shoes.
"What they wear influences a lot about how they feel about themselves," Jesse said. "The sole separates when they walk. These students, they shy away almost like they are trying to make themselves invisible."
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the problem became even more magnified.
"Before the pandemic I noticed there was a need for shoes in the community," Jesse said. "After COVID hit some of my students were saying their parents were losing jobs or they were losing family members. So we wanted to help out the community by doing what we love, which is buying shoes and giving them back to the community."
Jesse and his girlfriend Alejandra Zendejas launched Pasos for Oak Cliff, a nonprofit aimed at providing shoes for low income students in Oak Cliff and surrounding areas.
Using GoFundMe and PayPal, the couple were able to raise about $4,500 and buy and give away 150 pairs of shoes to deserving students.
The kids were incredulous.
"There were a few that were excited but I think most of them were just shocked," Jesse said.
They're parents were shocked too.
"We heard back from a lot of parents and they were really grateful. They told us that their students were excited to go back to school," Jesse said.
We're proud to call Jesse Acosta and Pasos for Oak Cliff this week's KRLD Difference Maker.
Pasos for Oak Cliff is doing a second fundraiser for shoes for Christmas and hopes to distribute 300-500 shoes for students in need.
Difference Maker is brought to you by the North Texas Food Bank. If you know someone making a difference in the community, send us an email at differencemaker@krld.com.
