Building community

Every year, through the Shoes for Youth program, Runners of Compassion donates dozens of pairs of running shoes to young people in need in Victoria and Nanaimo. The premise is simple, the effect direct: children without the means to buy the shoes they need to effectively participate in physical education (to say nothing of unstructured play) are identified by a teacher, school guidance counselor or community center coordinator. This adult then provides the child with a voucher for free shoes at a local specialty running store - Frontrunners Footwear in southern Vancouver Island. Runners of Compassion and the local retailer split the cost of the shoes; the reward - one more child better able to participate in sport and play - is shared equally.