Soles and Shields brings together Sneakezy and police to provide shoes, other items for teens
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The following is a news release and photos from the Idaho Falls Police Department.
On Saturday, Dec. 21, nineteen Idaho Falls teenagers arrived at Sneakezy, none of them quite sure why they were there. They had been brought by their parents, some who asked their teen to come with them on a quick Christmas errand. Each teen was greeted by an Idaho Falls Police Officer, and in many cases, their school resource officer. The teens were told they were there to pick out a free pair of sneakers. Teens were paired with a Sneakezy representative or a police officer. Together, they helped the teens pick out a style they liked and find it in their size.
Sneakezy, a haven for sneaker enthusiasts and locally owned sneaker store, was filled with teens, their parents, IFPD Officers and the Sneakezy team. The relatively small space was filled, both with people and the sounds of excitement and Christmas joy.
Most of the teens were then taken to the Grand Teton Mall, where IFPD Officers and the Sneakezy team helped them find new coats, gloves, hats, or any other specific needs the teens had. For some that meant sports equipment like new basketball shoes or a mouthguard for rugby. For a few teens, that meant shopping for shoes and coats for siblings at home.
The Soles and Shields Project started as an idea from Sneakezy owner, Garrett Meyers and his team of friends who, according to Meyers, “just want to do some good in the Idaho Falls community.” Meyers reached out to Idaho Falls Police Officer Jose Abreo. Together, with a budget of $10,000 from Sneakezy and support from the Idaho Falls Police Department, the Soles and Shields Project was born.
“Christmas is an amazing time of year because it reminds all of us what matters most,” said Meyers. “And to me, that’s family, friends/community, and trying to make a positive impact where we can. Life is a wild ride, full of unexpected twists and turns. At times each of us experiences very different highs and lows, tragedies and miracles. To me, perhaps the most beautiful part of life, is when someone utilizes their time, talents, resources to help others. And that was our goal with this!”
IFPD Officer Abreo worked with School Resource Officers and teachers at District 91 high schools and middle/junior high schools to select 20 teens to participate in the program. Some teens were chosen based on financial need, others because officers knew the teen could benefit from a little extra Christmas joy this year. Officers noted that many of these teens are just good, hard working, kind young people who they thought were deserving of this fun experience.
Officer Abreo contacted the parents of each of the teens, told them they had been nominated for this program and invited their teens to participate. He asked about needs the teen and the family had, and built lists for each teen and family. On Saturday, Officer Abreo, some of the IFPD school resource officers and the Sneakezy team welcomed the teens and their families to Sneakezy. One teen, who wasn’t able to come, had her sneakers and gifts delivered to her home.
“Garrett and his team approached us with this opportunity to help give back to the community and we jumped on it,” says Idaho Falls Police Officer Jose Abreo. “Being able to give back to the community we interact with daily was awesome. The school resource officers played a huge part in helping us find a group of kids that really deserved some help and joy this Christmas season and it was awesome to be able to help them out. We love serving the community of Idaho Falls throughout the year, but being able to participate in something like this during this special time of year was just really great! A huge shoutout to Garrett and his team for making this possible. We look forward to hopefully doing it again next year!”
According to Meyers, “Those who give always receive something amazing in return, and seeing the joy and appreciation from these incredible teens and their families today was a huge Christmas miracles for us. The IFPD and our local school resource officers are the ones who deserve the most credit. They work tirelessly every day trying to make a difference, and helped us effectively identify these very deserving individuals for a little extra Christmas spirit!”
“Today was really special,” said Meyers. “Everyone involved felt the goodness of it! And next year we hope to make it a much bigger and even more memorable and meaningful event. There is so much good that can be done, and I think there are many, many people would want to help, and will jump at the occasion. We love this Idaho Falls community and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!”