"Soul to Sole" - how shoes are making the difference in Marshall Is

Donated shoes from Missouri hit the courts in the Marshall Islands - one woman's journey!

Missouri-based couple Steve and Mindy Hubbard adopted a young Marshallese baby 12 years ago, and they always felt that they would like to do something to help their baby's home-country.

Fast forward 12 years, and Mindy's friend Britt Mitchell, an instructor at the College of the Marshall Islands, was shooting hoops with some school girls at the Majuro gymnasium.  Britt mentioned to Mindy that the girls needed some basketball shoes, and instantly, Mindy's desire to give something back to the Marshalls became a reality.  The idea of "Soul to Sole" was born at Mindy's local church, and with the assistance of the Marshall Islands Basketball Federation, boxes of donated new and used shoes starting arriving from the USA.

MIBF officials have delivered shoes to Majuro Middle School and to Uliga, Delap and Rairok elementary schools, with more public schools on the list for shoe donations.  "We are focusing on the public elementary schools first because of the need and to promote basketball for girls" said Federation President Thomas Heine.

"We are giving the shoes to the schools as equipment, rather than to individual players, in hope that they will last longer as an asset for the girls basketball program." 

In Missouri, Mindy gives thanks to her church and school community members for their shoe donations.  "This has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  We were struck by the beauty of Majuro, and by the poverty.  It was such an overwhelming feeling to see the first photo of the shoe donation to Majuro Middle school.  Looking at those girls holding the shoes that I had packed was nothing short of amazing.  To reach across the ocean and make a difference in a life feels good"

And by way of recognition of the support from the Hubbard's, the Marshall Islands National Olympic Committee issued a cheque for $400USD to the Hubbard's to cover the postage costs for the first batch of shoes sent to RMI.