MIAMI – What started as an idea to collect sneakers for kids in need has turned into a year-long mission.

With over 1,700 shoes donated over the last two years, Laces for Lil Ones co-founders Ameri Mathieu and Ahbria Marshall’s message is being heard loud and clear as they continue their mission of giving back to children through fitness.

“For them, it’s awesome and it’s a learning experience as well because a lot of them are wearing shoes way too small or way too big, because that’s what their family has access to at the moment, because kids are growing at a fast rate,” Mathieu said.

Mathieu and Marshall saw a void in the community and filled it.

“I remember even at one point we were just airdropping random people like flyers and everything like that, but it turned out for the best,” Mathieu said.

Out of an idea and quick action, Laces for Lil Ones was born in 2022 — a nonprofit formed by a couple with a love for fitness and giving back, collecting new and gently worn shoes for kids in Miami.

Local 10 first started reporting on their community work during the 2023 holiday season, and they have drastically grown since then.

The couple picked up the phone and got busy, picking up sponsors, putting out a call to action on social media, and as the saying goes, “you build and they will come.”

The organization has now collected over 1,700 pairs of shoes for kids at the Boys and Girls Club.

“It’s near and dear to my heart because I grew up at the Boys and Girls Club, so I just put all my passions together with his passions and it just made sense,” Marshall said.

Marshall brings her personal story into the mission, all while educating kids on the importance of exercising and being active.

Mathieu and Marshall — both from Miami — wanted to inspire young kids in South Florida to dream and reach for more.

They hope to continue growing Laces for Lil Ones and expand beyond footwear.

“At this point in our lives, we know a lot of people in our network from different professionals, from news anchors, from dentists, from physical therapists, from lawyers, from doctors, things like that — and we want to be able to bring them by the Boys and Girls Club and just share with (the kids) their career paths so kids can have an idea of what they can be as well, because as they say, you can only be what you see,” Mathieu said.

And it’s important for kids see their full selves being represented.

“I think it’s awesome because a lot of those kids, they have hair like mine so when they see that I’m rocking this hair, and I’m doing what I do, there’s no limits to what we are doing here, and I think that’s awesome,” Mathieu said.

Every year, the organization has their big holiday shoe drive, but the need is year-round.

To see how you can get involved with Laces for Lil Ones, click here.