WINSTON-SALEM -- The Chris Paul Family Foundation and Shoes That Fit teamed up to make sure more than 200 Cook Elementary school students walked away in a new pair of free shoes, Tuesday.
Robin and Charles Paul, L.A. Clippers star Chris Paul's parents, made a special stop at Cook Elementary School.
"We wanted to be able to give children shoes, and I wanted to do something here in North Carolina,” said Robin Paul. “We set a goal to do a certain amount, but I didn't want to dump all of the shoes into one school. I wanted to spread the love and spread the joy."
At Cook, 96 percent of the students receive free or reduced lunch.
"We serve some kids that come from socioeconomic disadvantaged areas throughout the community, but to say that they are in need means a lot; they are in need of an education, they're in need of love, they're in need of support, and this is one way they can get all of that," said Parental Involvement Coordinator Kerry Wiggins.
Wiggins said when kids get shoes and other necessities for school, they are more excited about attending, more alert and more active.
"When you can encourage a child to come to school and to be engaged and show them that there are rewards, not only because of their academic success but there are other rewards to coming to school,” said Wiggins.
For someone to pay attention to them through a small gesture has a big impact.
“It's a great opportunity,” said Wiggins. “It's Chris Paul and with Chris being from Winston-Salem, the kids can easily recognize and relate to him. This was just icing on the cake for the students."
Paul said the goal is to donate a total of 600 shoes to area kids in need.