Samaritan's Feet

New Shoes Provide Hope for Kids

Emmanuel "Manny" Ohonme was our LPBC guest speaker back in August 2010. Manny has achieved national and international recognition as a philanthropist, businessman, and author. He is the founder and president of Samaritan's Feet, founder of Sole Purpose Ministries, and author of "Sole Purpose." Manny was born in Lagos, Nigeria. His life was changed by an aid worker that gave him a pair of shoes when he was nine years old. Those shoes became a Symbol of Hope to Manny and a catalyst to his love for basketball. He came to the United States on a basketball scholarship and earned a degree in Business. He became a success in the field of technology, but never forgot the act of the Good Samaritan that changed the course of his life with a pair of shoes.

Inspired by the events in his own life, Manny and his wife, Tracie, founded Samaritan's Feet, a nonprofit organization, in 2003 with the purpose of sharing hope with those in need by washing their feet, giving them a new pair of shoes, and helping them to believe that dreams can come true. To date, Samaritan's Feet has become a community of more than 70,000 volunteers who have joined together to make a difference in the lives of children in need in every corner of the world. Over four million impoverished children and adults in more than 60 nations have already been served by having their feet washed, receiving a new pair of shoes, and hearing a message of hope.

After Manny shared his story and mission with us here in Memphis, we committed to hosting Samaritan's Feet Shoe Distributions to touch our local youth. Since 2010, we have hosted two Samaritan's Feet Shoe Distributions each year and had hundreds of volunteers come out to wash the feet of over 1,500 kids from across the Mid-South, providing them with new socks and shoes. Each January, the LPBC teams up with the Memphis Grizzlies to kick off the MLK National Day of Service here in Memphis. The event is always a powerful experience for both volunteers and children alike. Coverage from the event can be seen in the national broadcast of the Memphis Grizzlies MLK Day game. Then, toward the end of each summer, we host a Back to School Shoe Distribution, which features a new pair of socks and shoes, along with a backpack filled with school supplies. We work with a variety of local youth serving organizations to select the children, based on need. The Samaritan's Feet Shoe Distributions have become a tradition and favorite for our volunteers. Through a simple act of humility and servant-leadership, we are able to express our love, compassion, and a message that brings hope to our children.

Below is a short video that showcases our Samaritan's Feet Shoe Distribution, along with some other multi-media from recent distribution events. Be on the lookout for our next Samaritan's Feet Shoe Distribution and we look forward to having you join us for the experience.