The Sneaker Saint

As a child going through tough times, Rikki Mendias had holes in his shoes. A woman he met through a shelter noticed and gave him new ones. He remembers fondly the smell of them, fresh out of the box, and the feeling of pride he had when he wore them the next day. Something about the experience affected him so deeply that he became a huge sneaker fan and collector. But it felt meaningless. Then he gave a pair away to someone who needed them, and his future was revealed. "Hav A Sole" was born. "Hav A Sole" has since provided over 7,000 pairs of quality shoes to the homeless and at risk youth population, and Mendias continues to give. This short video shares his story.

--by Sean Ryon

Hav a Sole's pop-up shops, the homeless and children living in poverty can pick out a free pair of designer shoes.

The sneaker business has never been bigger than it is today. Since 2004, sales of high-end athletic shoes increased by 40 percent to nearly $55 billion, and the resale market generates more than $1 billion. Now, one former sneakerhead hopes to put a little soul back in the soles of homeless people and disadvantaged youth by gifting them a brand new or gently worn pair.

Watch the video above to see how Rikki Mendias, founder of the grassroots nonprofit Hav a Sole, uses his background in fashion photography and social media marketing to solicit sneaker donations to stock pop-up shops for his unique patrons.