Local Organization Restores Confidence And Value Through Donations

Charisma Cannon is the founder and owner of the ShoeHeals organization. Photo provided by Charisma Cannon.
Charisma Cannon is the founder and owner of the ShoeHeals organization. Photo provided by Charisma Cannon.



Local Organization Restores Confidence And Value Through Donations

By Citizen Staff

The ShoeHeals organization gives back to the community offering soul healing resources.  Charisma Cannon is the owner of the ShoeHeals organization.  ShoeHeals can be credited for revitalizing the spirit and souls of many individuals who might be experiencing hardships.   

 ShoeHeals provides necessities such as shoes, clothing and food to mothers and families in low-income communities.  They service individuals (men and women), that are in transitional housing, pregnant teens, runaway youth as well as the unhoused population.

The Citizen Newspaper Group, Inc. had the privilege of sitting down for a conversation with Charisma Cannon, owner of ShoeHeals to talk about how they are answering the community clarion call for needed resources.  This Q & A serves to bring awareness to the work and ministry of ShoeHeals  and the impact they have on others.


CITIZEN: Charisma, can you tell us about ShoeHeals and what motivated you to start the organization?

 

CHARISMA: ShoeHeals provides new shoes to those in need of restoring their confidence, dignity, and hope, empowering them to walk forward on a path to stability and well-being. I started ShoeHeals during a very difficult time in my own life. I had lost everything, and in the middle of that, I was led to give away new shoes, even though it didn’t make sense at the time.

As I began exploring whether this work was truly needed, I discovered something surprising: shoes are the least donated items to those in need. Clothes, toys, coats, and food are all donated before shoes. And when shoes are given, they often have little to no wearability left.

So ShoeHeals was created to address that gap. I decided to provide new, comfortable, stylish, and quality shoes to those in need.

There are four reasons why we give new shoes: 

1) something as simple as new shoes can restore the confidence, dignity, and hope of those in need by making them feel seen and humanized

2) shoes are the least donated items

3) those in need often have foot conditions that make finding appropriate new shoes difficult, and 4) new shoes are unaffordable for those in need.


CITIZEN: Who are the clients/people or communities you service.

 

CHARISMA: We assist those experiencing homelessness, in shelters, in workforce development initiatives, reentry programs, and more recently, low-income seniors involved with social service agencies and healthcare services. We provide more than 340 pairs of new shoes annually, and to date, we've distributed more than 1200 pairs of new shoes to those in need. We provide shoes throughout all of Chicago.


CITIZEN: Our entire nation needs a lift.  We need lifting because of choices made beyond our control, circumstances unseen or violence. What you are doing for others by lifting one soul by providing shoes is spiritually motivating.  For those who understand helping your fellowman is key, they would consider this as a form of ministry.      Can you talk about how you felt the first time you gifted someone with such with a vital necessity. 

 

CHARISMA: In all transparency, when I first started giving out shoes, I was still angry with God for taking all my “stuff.” I was doing the work, but it hadn’t fully hit me yet just how much a new pair of shoes could change someone’s life. One day, I brought new shoes and boots to a social service agency in the South Suburbs. Chicago had just been hit with a fresh snowstorm, and the staff called to say some of their clients needed us. I gave one gentleman a pair of boots, and he disappeared. As I was heading out, I saw him outside… stomping around in the snow like a little kid. He yelled, “Ms. Charisma! Ms. Charisma! Look at my new boots!” He started posing, dancing, and just showing out in the snow. And I just stood there. Because here was this grown man, playing and frolicking like he was eight years old, all because he had on a brand-new pair of boots. He was so happy. In that moment, something shifted for me. From then on, I never questioned God, the mission He placed on my life, or the power of a new pair of shoes. 


CITIZEN: We used the word vital not to add value or to take any away from the needed services that you provide, I want to allow readers the opportunity to identify with everything that your organization provides.  No matter how big or small the gesture, it can certainly lift and motivate a person to walk differently. 

 

CHARISMA: I appreciate that, and you’re absolutely right. The smallest of gestures sometimes makes the most meaningful impact.


CITZEN: Can you give a few words of encouragement to someone who might be in the process of cleaning their closets how and where they can donate items to your organization? 

 

CHARISMA: Well, we don’t accept used shoes. We will accept very gently worn shoes, but they have to be almost practically new, meaning never worn or worn once or twice. We ask people to donate new, functional, stylish, and comfortable shoes, whether in their own size, a loved one’s size, or in honor of someone who loves or loved shoes. If they see a great pair on sale and feel led to grab an extra pair for someone in need, do it.

When I first started, I had a lady in a hair salon fuss me out.  She was upset that we don’t accept used shoes. But I told her that’s the problem. People in need rarely receive anything brand new that is just for them. Because they’re on the fringes of life, there’s this unspoken expectation that they should “accept what they can get.” But people going through hard times shouldn’t be made to feel like they only deserve second best just because their lives aren’t where they want it to be. At ShoeHeals, we believe in giving people something that’s truly theirs; something that restores dignity, confidence, and a sense of worth. And for us, that starts with a brand-new pair of shoes.

 

CITIZEN: “Walking differently:, is a wish or prayer for many who have been exposed to some form of trauma in their lives… How does the work of your organization connect the dots for you?

 

CHARISMA: For many people who are experiencing trauma, “walking differently” isn’t just physical. It's emotional, mental, and deeply personal. It’s about regaining confidence, reclaiming dignity, and believing that moving forward is still possible for them. At ShoeHeals, we meet people at that exact intersection. Many of the individuals we serve are experiencing life-altering challenges. These experiences don’t just impact their circumstances. They impact how they see themselves and how they show up in the world. And something as simple as worn-out or ill-fitting shoes can reinforce that feeling of being overlooked or unworthy.

At ShoeHeals, we interrupt that. By providing new, properly fitting, functional, stylish, and comfortable shoes, we give people something that is truly theirs, something that restores a sense of pride and self-worth. It seems small, but when someone puts on a new pair of shoes, they stand taller, move differently, and engage the world with a renewed sense of confidence and hope.

ShoeHeals isn't just changing what’s on people's feet. We're helping them shift how they walk through life and what they believe is possible for themselves. And that's how we connect the dots from trauma to transformation.

CITIZEN: What is next for ShoeHeals?

 

CHARISMA: The ShoeHeals Shoe Mobile is what’s next for ShoeHeals! I’ve been running around talking about this Shoe Mobile for so long, it almost feels like a dream that we’re actually kicking off the fundraiser this summer.

The ShoeHeals Shoe Mobile will be a first-of-its-kind mobile unit in Chicago, a retrofitted bus that brings new shoes, basic foot care, and access to critical resources direct to underserved communities. It allows us to meet people where they are and respond in real time with what they need most.

More than anything, the Shoe Mobile is about accessing and serving more people. Our current model limits how many individuals we can reach because we don’t always have the opportunity to measure their feet before delivering shoes. The Shoe Mobile changes that. We’ll be able to measure feet on-site, offer a choice of shoes, and connect people to additional services right then and there.

Right now, we’re serving a few hundred people a year. With the Shoe Mobile, we’ll be able to reach over 1,000 individuals annually, reduce wait times, and ensure people receive the right fit on the spot.

It’s growth and a shift in how we serve. It’s taking everything we’ve built and a little extra, and putting it on wheels so that dignity, care, and opportunity show up exactly where they’re needed.


CITIZEN: In conclusion Cannon wants readers to know that what ShoeHeals does may seem simple, but the impact runs deep. A new pair of shoes can restore dignity, shift confidence, and remind someone that they’re seen, they are valued, and worthy of everything life has to offer. That’s the heart of ShoeHeals.

 “I always say: Wear your flyest shoes to stand on your wildest dreams,” said Chrisma.

For more information about ShoeHeals, or to find ways on how you can donate to the cause, contact them at 773-916-7463 (SHOE) or at www.shoeheals.org


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