Photo: Maurice Holloway
Business mogul Patrick Carroll isgiving backin a big way tochildrenthisholiday season.
“There is no better feeling than seeing how excited and proud these kids are when they get a new pair of really cool sneakers,” Carroll tells PEOPLE exclusively. “They’re surprised, but so happy at the same time. I don’t know of a more genuine and fulfilling experience than I could imagine.”
On Nov. 15, Carroll and other well-known locals, likeSelling Tampa’sTennille Moore and Juawana Colbert, spent hours handing out over 600 pairs of high-end sneakers to members of Tampa Bay Boys & Girls Club.
This was Carroll’s second charitable giveaway as he continues a 10-stop tour across the country with the Boys & Girl’s Club organization in an effort to donate $1 million worth of shoes.
Maurice Holloway
As a father to young children who play sports, Carroll couldn’t help but relate to the kids who need shoes to be comfortable while staying active.
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“Knowing firsthand how aspirational having the right pair of sneakers can be to a kid in need, it’s incredible to see the looks on these kid’s faces when we pull up in that truck,” Carroll tells PEOPLE. “I grew up playing basketball, and having cool sneakers gave me such a sense of pride.”
More than 600 pairs of high-end sneakers were made possible because of Carroll, but he also had help from pal Sneaker Don, a.k.a. Ben Kickz, who drove the shoes to the event and helped hand them out from the back of his truck. The two initially met when Carroll was shopping for his own boys at home, and once they began talking, Carroll quickly had the idea to team up and make magic happen.
“I met Benny Kickz in Miami and he brought a truck full of shoes to my house for me to look at and buy for my kids,” Carroll says. “I had just spoken with the Boys and Girls Club here in Miami and they told me their number one need was sports equipment because the kids did not have enough money to buy shoes. When Benny came to my house, I immediately thought, ‘How cool would it be to give away a truck full of shoes?’ Miami went off so well I decided to do it in more cities.”
The self-made business mogul’s hope is to inspire the young children he’s helping to believe in themselves, too.
“As cliche as it sounds, the message I give them is, if I can do it, anyone can do it,” Carroll says. “I am far from the typical success story. I got in some trouble growing up, didn’t go to college, and was self-taught. I think the message of the American Dream and working hard for your dreams is so important, especially these days.”
As the holiday season gets into full swing, Carroll and his family are thankful they can continue helping children in need feel good about themselves with their new shoes.
“This experience was extremely emotional to me because I was able to have my three sons with me,” Carroll, who will visit Atlanta next, explains. “I don’t get to spend enough time with them, so seeing them so proud and excited to give back literally melted my heart. On top of that, just knowing that the kids were going to wake up the next day and feel so confident rocking their new shoes to school is hard to describe.”
source: people.com
