It Starts with the Shoes, Inc. was founded in 2015, and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Frank has established a wish list for others to donate to Withrow and other schools, such as Western Hills, that have also received shoes from the program.
Helping with donations this season has been Moeller, one of the top programs in the area. Crystal Morrison has a son on the Crusaders squad and is in charge of the team's culture leadership group that looks for community projects.
"Community service and giving back is a key component of who we are as a school," Morrison said. "I sent out a note to the parents and said, 'Here's our opportunity.' It's a privilege to get a pair of Nike shoes when yours are starting to get a little bit worn. A lot of kids don't have that opportunity."
Moeller will not only support the program this year but also in the coming years.
"Like they say, it starts with the shoes," Morrison said. "You've got to have a good platform."
Moeller coach Mike Welker has partnered or plans to partner with other organizations including Pink Ribbon Girls, the FC Cincinnati Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity in addition to It Starts With The Shoes.
"It's not just all about soccer," Welker said. "Any kid deserves as equal of a playing field as possible. This should be about raising awareness for organizations like this that are trying to raise awareness in the soccer community. Hopefully, there's 30 other schools or 50 other schools that help in an area like this. It's not just a Moeller thing. It's about helping our neighbors and people in need."
