Footwear Fundraiser: Stockton Teen's Desire For New Shoes Leads To Efforts To Help Others
STOCKTON (CBS13) – A Stockton teen is making his basketball dreams come true while paying it forward helping others to get on the court.
With a little spray paint, a stencil and a lot of determination, 13-year old Elias Juarez is making his dreams and others come true. His efforts are now raising more money than he ever thought possible.
It all started with a desire for new basketball shoes for his upcoming season.
"I wanted some Kyrie's," he said.
But his dad Raymond had other plans.
"I teach my kids that nothing is ever handed to you, you have to work for everything," Raymond said.
And work, he did. Elias on a mission to raise money, putting out a call on social media offering to paint addresses on people's sidewalks for some extra cash.
In two weeks, he raised enough to not only buy his own shoes but help kids in need lace-up, too.
"I wanted other kids to feel that way, too," Elias said. "They are able to use the shoes that are given to them and they are not going to just use them once and they are going to be thrashed."
"Growing up, I know what it's like not to have, so I teach them to be humble and appreciate everything that they have and to always give back," Raymond said.
Elias is moving house by house, with each fresh coat of paint bringing new lessons.
"Work ethic is everything in the real world, you know what I mean?" Raymond said. "Either you are going to go out there and get it or you are going to sit on the sidelines and watch others get it."
A footwear fundraiser is now raising money for so much more.
"I didn't want to just donate shoes, I also wanted to donate money to help out," Elias said.
A playbook in giving back and raising the score.
"Not every kid has a lot of stuff, so I just thought we should help them," Elias said.
Elias is still booking appointments. All the money he is raising is now going to help others. The seventh grader says he wants to help as many people as possible