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OUR STORY
Sometimes, creating a way starts with something small.
Long before Creating A Way Foundation had a name, the idea behind it began with a pair of shoes.
As a kid, our founder, Mario Mitchell, showed up to basketball practice wearing a pair of black shoes with a hole worn through the toe. His sock stuck out through the front, and other kids noticed.
They made fun of him for it.
His coach noticed too.
But instead of ignoring it, he did something about it. He bought Mario a brand-new pair of basketball shoes.
It was a simple act, but to a kid who had been embarrassed by something he couldn't control, it meant much more than a new pair of shoes.
Someone saw a problem and chose to help.
A pair of shoes can be more than a pair of shoes.
The shoes solved an immediate problem. But what stayed with Mario was how different he felt afterward.
He could walk into practice without thinking about the hole in his shoe. He could focus on playing basketball instead of wondering who was looking at his feet.
That experience became something he never forgot.
Years later, it would help shape a much bigger idea: sometimes the things standing between a young person and the confidence to participate aren't enormous. Sometimes it's a pair of shoes. Clothes for school. The cost of joining a team.
Or simply having someone notice that they need a little help.
That's why we are here.
Creating A Way Foundation was built around a simple belief:
No child should have to sit on the sidelines because of something they don't have.
We want to help meet the needs that can make a difference today while creating opportunities that can change what tomorrow looks like.
That means brand-new shoes and clothing. Backpacks and sports gear. Access to activities, experiences, and opportunities young people might otherwise miss.
Not because those things solve everything.
But because sometimes removing one barrier is enough to help someone take their next step.
And this is only the beginning.
What started years ago with one coach, one kid, and one pair of shoes has grown into the idea behind Creating A Way Foundation.
Now we have the opportunity to do for other young people what someone once did for Mario:
See the barrier. Do something about it. Create a way forward.