When Etnies CEO Pierre-Andre Senizergues arrived in America to pursue his dream to skate, he found himself homeless on the streets of Venice, CA. It wasn’t long before the skateboarder turned pro, but he never forgot his experience or lost his connection with people on the streets. That’s why Etnies works each year with Los Angeles Mission to donate thousands of pairs of shoes to residents of Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles, the nation’s largest concentration of homeless people living and sleeping on public sidewalks.
“Even before arriving in LA, I shared the cobblestone streets of Paris with homeless people who had no other place to go,” Pierre-Andre recalls in a press release. “I gave them what I could – the sweatshirt I was wearing or other clothes – but I never could hand over my shoes. I realized then that we had so much in common, both dependent upon the streets and needing durable shoes to protect our feet. As soon as I could with Etnies, I vowed to give back to the people who share the streets with skateboarders as a way of expressing our solidarity with them as neighbors and offering them some comfort and protection.”
In addition to donating 1,500 pairs of shoes this year, Active Ride Shops contributed 1,500 pairs of socks as well.
“It’s all part of what we can do together to give hope to homeless residents,” Pierre said. “Besides donating money if you’re able, I’m asking skateboarders to also think about the people we share the streets with and look after them. Something as simple as offering a clean hoodie or bottle of water can go a long way toward helping them through another day. And don’t forget the power of a smile or kind word.”
To capture the work done over the past two decades, Etnies developed this video about their work with the homeless on the street.
