MORE THAN NEW SHOES...
OUR WHY
“ShoeHeals isn’t just about putting nice shoes on people’s feet. It’s about what can happen in their lives once they have a good pair of shoes.”
Charisma Cannon
Founder & Executive Director
Our Mission.
ShoeHeals provides new shoes to those in need to restore their confidence, dignity and hope, empowering them to walk forward on a path to stability and well-being.
It's measured in restored confidence.
Renewed dignity.
Greater mobility.
The comfort to keep moving.
And the opportunity to take the next step forward.
Our Vision.
To ensure that something as simple as a pair of shoes is never a barrier to a person’s confidence, dignity, mobility, opportunity, or path toward greater stability and well-being.
Dignity
Everyone deserves something new, not what's left over.
Confidence
A new pair of shoes can change how someone sees themselves.
Compassion
We meet people where they are, without judgment.
Community
We partner with organizations to reach more people together.
Hope
Every new pair of shoes represents the possibility of a new beginning.
Who We Serve.
Everyone deserves the confidence, dignity, and hope that begins with a new pair of shoes. ShoeHeals serves people navigating some of life’s toughest challenges:
People experiencing homelessness or housing instability
Individuals rebuilding their lives after incarceration
Low-income individuals preparing for employment
Individuals and families facing financial hardship
Low-income older adults
Most people don't think about their shoes until they don't have a pair they can depend on.
Shoes are one of the least donated necessities, and when they are donated, they are often worn down, damaged, or no longer capable of providing the comfort, support, and confidence people deserve. Too often, those in need are left without access to shoes that truly meet their needs.
At ShoeHeals, we believe a new pair of shoes is never just about footwear. It's about the confidence to walk into a job interview, the dignity to reenter society believing in yourself again, the comfort to move through life without pain, and the mobility to stay active, connected, and engaged in your community.
New shoes can give a family one less barrier as they work toward stability. They can replace worn-out shoes that carry stigma with shoes that restore confidence. And for someone experiencing homelessness, a comfortable, properly fitting pair of shoes can make navigating each day a little easier.
We believe people deserve more than what's left over. They deserve new shoes.
Shoes that restore dignity rather than diminish it, inspire confidence instead of embarrassment, and help people feel seen, valued, and capable—even as they navigate some of life's most difficult circumstances. That's why ShoeHeals exists.
Because ShoeHeals isn't just about putting nice shoes on people's feet. It's about what having a good pair of shoes can make possible in someone's life.
Meet the Founder
My Story.
In 2009, my life changed almost overnight.
I lost my job, my home, my car, exhausted my 401(k), and eventually my unemployment benefits. I found myself at one of the lowest points of my life, wondering what came next.
During one of those moments, through tears and uncertainty, I felt a simple but undeniable calling: “Give away new shoes.”
It didn’t make sense.
I couldn’t even afford a new pair of shoes for myself, so how was I supposed to provide new shoes for someone else?
Still, I couldn’t shake it.
With nothing to lose, I began visiting local shelters and social service agencies, expecting to find donated shoes that could help people in need. Instead, I discovered a gap that few people were talking about.
Shoes were one of the least donated necessities, and when they were donated, many were too worn, damaged, or ill-fitting to truly help someone.
As I continued researching, I realized something even deeper.
Shoes are more than something we wear. They can shape how we see ourselves and how we present ourselves to the world.
That’s when I asked myself a question that would change my life: “How do I help change the life of someone when a ‘crisis of confidence’ is a way of life?”
The answer wasn’t simply providing shoes. It was providing new shoes.
New shoes that restore dignity instead of diminishing it. New shoes that inspire confidence instead of embarrassment. New shoes that remind someone they are worthy, valued, and capable of moving forward.
That’s how ShoeHeals was born.
Years later, life took ShoeHeals in a different direction, and the organization became dormant.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. Watching so much loss and uncertainty forced me to reflect on my own life and purpose. I couldn’t escape the thought that if my life ended and I stood before God, He might show me the blessings I had left on the table because I was too afraid to fully embrace the calling He had placed on my life.
That realization changed everything. In 2022, I relaunched ShoeHeals.
Not simply to give away shoes, but to answer the calling I had carried in my heart for years.
Today, every pair of shoes we provide reminds me why I said yes.
I never grow tired of watching someone walk away in a brand-new pair of shoes with renewed confidence, dignity, and hope. Some smile. Some are in disbelief. Some hug us. And many walk away carrying themselves a little differently than they did when they arrived.
Along the way, I realized something else: ShoeHeals didn’t just change the lives of the people we serve. It changed mine.
Everyone has a shoe story.
And the formation of ShoeHeals is mine.
I believe everyone deserves the chance to have a shoe story that reminds them they’re capable of moving forward.
That’s what starting ShoeHeals did for me.
The Next Step.
As ShoeHeals continues to grow, so does our commitment to reaching people in ways that are more accessible, immediate, and responsive to their needs.
That commitment inspired the ShoeHeals Shoe Mobile—Chicago's first-of-its-kind mobile shoe distribution and basic foot-care hub. Designed to bring brand-new shoes, proper fittings, basic foot care, and supportive resources directly into communities throughout Chicagoland, the Shoe Mobile represents the next evolution of how we serve.
It isn't just changing where we serve people. It's transforming how we serve them.
Join The Movement.
Sometimes the smallest thing people take for granted becomes the biggest barrier someone else has to overcome.
At ShoeHeals, we believe removing the barrier to shoes can restore confidence, dignity, hope, mobility, and possibility.
Whether you donate, volunteer, become a corporate partner, serve on our board, share our story, or simply introduce someone to our work, you can be part of what comes next.
We're more than new shoes. Join the movement and help us heel communities and heal lives!
PHOTO GALLERY
Moments That Matter
