To be eligible for donations, coaches must turn in the donation application form confirming the following criteria are met:

1) Student-Athlete participated in the 2012 football season

2) Student-Athlete ended the 2012 Fall/Winter semester with over a 3.0 GPA

3) Student-Athlete is on free or reduced school lunch.

The 2012-2013 donation application form will be available on the Donation Forms link at the top of this site.  Please email TheShoeGame@att.blackberry.com with the completed form and/or any questions.

Thank you!

Jonathan Goff donated shoes to inner-city student athletes that have a 3.0 gpa in Indianapolis! Big thanks to Jonathan Goff for helping launch this organization that aims to raise inner-city graduation rates by getting student athletes’ SHOE GAME on point!

Danny Granger putting it down for Indy.

“Danny Granger, along with every other NBA player, isn’t getting paid during the lockout.

That’s not stopping Granger from sharing some of the near $11 million he made last season with some of the unfortunate Conseco Fieldhouse workers who aren’t getting paid because of the lockout.

Granger is the process of trying to arrange a dinner with the fieldhouse employees who are impacted financially because of the lockout. He also wants to put together a charity game where the proceeds can go to the workers.

Paul George, Brandon Rush, James Posey and Dahntay Jones want to help their teammate with the event, too.

People like the concession workers, stat people and ushers get paid by the game.

There have already been three preseason and three home games cancelled because of the lockout.

You’ve got to commend those players for trying to put something together because the perception around the country is that the billionaire owners and millionaire players are nothing but greedy.”

Football players at Belmont HS in Los Angeles, CA prepare for the upcoming 2011 football season.

The Shoe Game Corporation made a trip to sunny California this past weekend to meet with wrestling coaches in the Los Angeles Unified School District.  Looking to expand donations into other school districts, Los Angeles provides a good fit for the developing non-profit corporation.  Currently, there are less than 20 public schools in the Los Angeles City Section conference fielding wrestling programs this winter.  After meeting with a coach at Belmont High School, located in downtown LA, we are planning on providing wrestling shoes and/or training shoes for the student-athletes achieving over a 3.0 gpa.  The professional athletes that will be donating the shoes are various UFC fighters (to be revealed later) that have expressed interest in supporting not only youth wrestling, but also The Shoe Game Corporation’s mission.

In Indianapolis, forms are being turned in to participate in the 2011 Football donation cycle.  With various Indianapolis Public Schools currently restructuring, there has been a brief pause in the donation process but all coaches have assured their interest and excitement in participating with The Shoe Game.  Jonathan Goff, New York Giants LB, expressed his enthusiasm this week in being the first professional athlete participating in the program, stating that he is looking forward to providing for the student-athletes and believes that doing so will motivate them in the classroom and on the field.

Finally, The Shoe Game is also preparing to become involved with New Orleans Public Schools, coming into contact with media personnel and high school teachers in the city.  Looking forward to basketball season, The Shoe Game will be working to provide shoes in New Orleans as well as Indianapolis.

For more information about The Shoe Game Corporation, Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, or email us at Hood@TheShoeGame.org.

During the first donation cycle in the fall of 2011, Goff is providing cleats for over 20 inner-city athletes that have excelled in the classroom. Indianapolis’ Arlington High School Strength and Conditioning Coach Jerry Clark, believes that this type of effort will produce positive results amongst inner-city youths. “We are excited for the launch of this program, and believe in its intrinsic value to motivate student-athletes across our city“, stated Clark of Goff and The Shoe Game’s initiatives. Athletes from a variety of professional sports will be participating in the donation process in the future.

The Shoe Game is working in conjunction with professional athletes across the country in this unique program that encourages students to excel in the classroom as well as in their sport. IPS schools have been targeted for the program launch due to the percentage of low-income families and low graduation rates. The first donation cycle will involve student-athletes in the graduating years of 2012, 2013, and 2014, that also participate in their high school’s football program. Out of the ten IPS high schools, five will be fielding football teams in the fall of 2011. In the future, more cities and sports will be targeted for donations.

The Shoe Game Corporation was founded in 2009 in an effort to help increase low graduation rates in inner-city school districts. For more information about The Shoe Game, visit http://www.TheShoeGame.org or email Elliot.Hood@gmail.com.

The Shoe Game Corporation appreciates your support, and can’t wait to start branching out into other cities soon!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Indianapolis Non-Profit Partners With NFL Athletes

To Raise Graduation Rates in At-Risk Areas

May 23, 2011 / Indianapolis, IN – The Shoe Game Corporation is enabling the donation of shoes to deserving student-athletes from NFL players around the country. Starting with the Indianapolis Public School district, the 501c3 organization is focusing their efforts to combat low graduation rates by providing incentives to student-athletes among inner-city schools. Student-athletes in the IPS district that have earned over a 3.0 grade point average will be eligible for free shoes and/or cleats to participate in the 2011 football season.

The Shoe Game is working in conjunction with NFL athletes across the country in this unique program that encourages students to excel in the classroom as well as on the football field.  IPS schools have been targeted for the program launch due to the percentage of low-income families and low graduation rates. The first donation cycle will involve student-athletes in the graduating years of 2012, 2013, and 2014, that also participate in their high school’s football program.  Out of the ten IPS high schools, seven will be fielding football teams in the fall of 2011.

Athletes from a variety of NFL teams are participating in the donation process, and will be in attendance for an event that will be held June 10^th 2011 in downtown Indianapolis. This event is an opportunity for IPS coaches, athletic directors, and potential donation recipients to learn more about The Shoe Game’s efforts.

The Shoe Game Corporation was founded in 2009 in an effort to help increase low graduation rates in inner-city school districts. For more information, visit http://www.TheShoeGame.org or email Elliot.Hood@gmail.com.

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Challenged to produce a 30-second advertising spot for ACN videophone and present it to the company’s large army of sales reps, the competition was familiar territory for Lil Jon, who has starred in and directed dozens of videos.

As project manager for his team, Jon received $20,000 from Trump for his charity of choice, a figure that the tech company ACN matched, earning $40,000 for the United Methodist Children’s Home in Decatur, Ga.

“I have a sister and a brother who were foster kids,” Jon said of his decision to donate to the United Methodist Children’s Home. “My mother ended up adopting them. I feel children shouldn’t have to suffer for faults of adults.”

via Boombox

Jay-Z and LeBron

Hip-hop mogul JAY-Z and basketball icon LEBRON JAMES took time out of the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities in California last sunday to help renovate a local gymnasium for a children’s charity.

The two stars have been big supporters of the Boys & Girls Club of America in recent years and they joined youngsters in Los Angeles this weekend to unveil the improvements to the run-down community facility.

The pair also donated a colourful wall mural by famed tattoo artist Mr. Cartoon and spent time chatting with the kids before attending the big basketball game at the Staples Center.

Mr. Cartoon, famous Tattoo Artist

via ContactMusic.com

by: Seth Lasko

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman makes a catch during NFL football training camp, in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday, July 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Julian Edelman is listed at 5-foot-10, but the wide receiver stood tall Monday when he found the time to help out a local high school by donating his gear before heading home for the offseason.

Monday was move out day for the Patriots, a time for players to say their goodbyes, make offseason plans to golf with each other and clean out their lockers. However, wide receiver Julian Edelman found some extra time to stop by a local high school and donate his playing gloves and cleats reports Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald.

Edelman, a 24-year-old California native and former Kent State quarterback, has shown flashes of brilliance for the Patriots since being selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft. The backup receiver has played a key role on special teams and returned a punt a team-record 94 yards for a touchdown against Miami in Week 17.