Some stories are so impactful and need to get shared. And that’s what we’re doing with this story. It’s a story about one of our partners, Oswego YMCA, who partnered with us to recycle sneakers. It turns out that a member of their team purchased new sneakers (not necessary) for their fundraiser. You see, as a child, this individual got bullied for ‘not having cool sneakers.’ And the person decided to do what they could by paying it forward. In other words, their approach to getting over bullying was to purchase new sneakers for others.
Trish Levine, a director at Oswego YMCA, shared the following. “I would like to share that one of our staff members had secretly been purchasing NEW sneakers to contribute to the effort. [This person] is a very sweet young [individual] who, as a child, was bullied for not having “cool” sneakers.” We find it compelling that a bad experience and memory got turned around, such as getting bullied. In other words, this person who wishes to remain anonymous decided to do something powerful with the experience. And that power was to make a difference in the lives of other people.
We’ll explain how our sneaker recycling program works so you can understand how impactful this person’s actions were. It’s like a ripple in the sea that travels far off the shores to destinations far, far away.
Getting Over Bullying by Paying it Forward
Many sports clubs, running retailers, and groups, partner with us for our Sneakers For Good program. Essentially, they raise funds for a great cause by recycling sneakers and athletic shoes in their communities. And that’s what Oswego YMCA was doing when it partnered with us. Our partners collect sneakers and athletic shoes during their event. We then issue them a check for the sneakers. Ultimately, the footwear gets shipped to developing countries around the world. In those countries, small business owners sell the shoes for profit in their communities and earn a sustainable living.
Moreover, the sneakers and athletic shoes gathered during these events help the planet. If you didn’t know it, hundreds of millions of sneakers, shoes, and textiles take up space in landfills. What’s more, because of the dozens of parts (many plastics), sneakers could take at least an entire lifetime to decompose (or even 1,000 years!). Of course, this isn’t sustainable for our planet, and we need to do better. And that’s why in recent years we have had more partners than ever! They understand they could pay it forward in many ways.
That’s what makes the person’s story at Oswego YMCA so compelling. You see, this person got bullied as a child for not having cool enough sneakers. That stayed with them. Flash-forward to now, and the individual happens to work at an organization that decided to do a sneaker recycling event. This individual could have simply given the sneakers they no longer needed or wanted. You know, those in their closet. But that’s not what this person chose to do. This individual remembered the bullying in their life and decided getting over bullying was the path by getting cool sneakers for people they would never meet!
Making a Difference Happens in Small Acts of Kindness
You know, the staff person at Oswego YMCA could have decided to be bitter. But that’s just not who this person became. Trish describes the person as “very sweet.” In other words, this person decided not to allow the experience of getting bullied in the past to shape who they would become as an adult negatively. The bullying likely remained in their life. Unfortunately, these are things people who experienced it remember. Still, they decided to turn the experience into a gift for others by contributing newly purchased sneakers for a fundraiser.
It doesn’t take large acts to make a difference in other people’s lives. In reality, paying it forward and spreading kindness and positivity doesn’t have to cause a cent. Of course, you could do something similar to what the anonymous sneaker donor did. You could give anonymous gifts to others. But kindness could be as simple as offering a smile to a stranger who happens to look your way. Or, it could be listening to a co-worker who had a tough day. Whatever you decide to do, making a difference could easily happen with small acts of kindness.
If you know anyone who needs help with bullying, please check out two excellent organizations. The first is the National Association of People Against Bullying. And the second is STOMP Out Bullying. Hopefully, a day will come when no one gets bullied ever again.
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