Meet Kareena Sundaram, a student at Cherry Creek High School who has collected hundreds of pairs of shoes for Clothes To Kids. When Kareena and classmate Paisley Piepgras joined the high school cross country team in their freshman year, they noticed the huge number of shoes the team retired throughout the season, many still with life left in them. Wishing to do something impactful for the community and realizing that shoes are an essential item that many people lack or struggle to afford, they started a nonprofit called Sneakers from Creekers.
Kareena began by asking her teammates, friends, and family to donate their gently used shoes that they no longer wore. She also reached out to neighbors, her parent's co-workers, local businesses and other schools to organize collections. Kareena then sorted the shoes and delivered them to Clothes To Kids. Kareena's project has been a huge success, attracting 467 pairs of shoes and 80 pairs of new socks from around her community. She has received shoes of all kinds but focuses on sneakers, which are most versatile for students.
Kareena is always finding new ways to spread the word about her shoe drives and hopes to inspire others to join her in her mission of inspiring joy and hope through footwear. One of Clothes To Kids' Student Ambassadors, she has been an enthusiastic advocate for us in the community for more than two years, making connections with people from all walks of life. "I do this because I love helping other students," Kareena shares.
Kareena also shares her love of helping students in other ways. As a member of National Charity League, Kareena supports Clothes To Kids by volunteering in the store and collecting other much-needed items. This year her NCL class filled 30 new backpacks with school supplies for the students we serve. In a prior year, Kareena led her NCL class in holding a winter coat drive that brought in more than 500 coats! She is a great role model for other teens who want to make a difference in their community.
Thank you, Kareena for your amazing work and your generous spirit! You are truly a shoe-tastic role model for us all!