{"id":76421,"date":"2025-12-20T11:51:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T11:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/76421\/"},"modified":"2025-12-20T11:51:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T11:51:10","slug":"16-year-old-turns-spring-cleaning-into-a-global-giving-movement-staten-islanders-of-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/76421\/","title":{"rendered":"16-year-old turns spring cleaning into a global giving movement | Staten Islanders of 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s Note: In honor of the many everyday Staten Islanders who give back, make change, inspire others, advocate and\/or care about their community, we are highlighting some of the standouts, and honoring them as Staten Island\u2019s Brightest Lights of 2025.<\/p>\n

Staten Island\u2019s Brightest Lights of 2025: Rami Rifi<\/p>\n

Sixteen-year-old Rami Rifi discovered that a simple spring-cleaning chore could spark something far greater. Faced with a pile of unused shoes, he didn\u2019t toss them aside\u2014he saw an opportunity. What began as a personal decision quietly blossomed into the Play Passion Project, a movement built around donating footwear to those in need. His vision quickly outgrew his own closet, proving that even small acts of consideration\u2014like giving away a pair of shoes\u2014can have a profound impact. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is incredible how much of an impact the community can have when we work together,\u201d Rami said, his excitement palpable. \u201cEvery donation brings us one step closer to giving someone a chance they might not have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here is his story, originally published April 1, 2025:<\/p>\n

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 In a heartwarming display of compassion and generosity, Staten Islander Rami Rifi, 16, has turned a spring cleaning dilemma into a global movement.<\/p>\n

What started as a simple decision about what to do with a pile of unused shoes has grown into Play Passion Project, an initiative dedicated to collecting footwear and proving small acts of kindness can have a big impact, one pair of shoes at a time, reminding others that even the smallest gestures can help those in need.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is incredible how much of an impact the community can have when we work together,\u201d Rami said, his excitement palpable. \u201cEvery donation brings us one step closer to giving someone a chance they might not have.\u201d<\/p>\n

The inspiration came during his own spring cleaning in January 2025 when the Staten Island Academy sophomore realized he was about to discard more than 25 pairs of shoes.<\/p>\n

Struggling with the thought of throwing them away, he looked into donation options and was shocked to find very few places willing to accept shoes.<\/p>\n

Realizing the potential impact of providing shoes\u2014something many take for granted\u2014Rami conceived the idea of starting one of the first nonprofit organizations in Staten Island focused solely on collecting shoes for families around the world.<\/p>\n

PARTNERSHIP WITH 122ND PRECINCT<\/p>\n

Rami\u2019s message is simple but powerful: proper footwear can change lives. \u201cWithout shoes, children cannot attend school, and adults are denied job opportunities, leaving their families in perpetual poverty,\u201d he explained. \u201cWith every pair that you donate, you can give someone an opportunity of a lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Play Passion Project has partnered with the NYPD 122nd Precinct, donating nearly 400 pairs of shoes with the help of like-minded community members. This milestone collaboration comes on the heels of a February shoe drive that collected 800 pairs of shoes, donated by Staten Island Academy students in just three weeks. <\/p>\n

The overwhelming positive response has left Rami more motivated than ever to expand Play Passion Project\u2019s reach and continue helping people in need.<\/p>\n

In addition to these collection events, Play Passion Project has formed valuable partnerships with local organizations. <\/p>\n

Rami has collaborated with Cedar Stars Academy and Silver Lake Soccer Academy to collect cleats and shoes for young athletes in need, helping them play the sport they love and pursue their dreams. The nonprofit has also made significant donations to Safe Horizon, supporting families who lack adequate footwear.<\/p>\n

\"CourtesyPlay Passion Project, founded by 16-year-old Rami Rifi in January 2025, aims to create a positive impact for families worldwide\u2014one pair of shoes at a time. (Courtesy Amanda Oliva)Courtesy Amanda Oliva<\/p>\n

HOW TO SUPPORT PLAY PASSION PROJECT<\/p>\n

With the success of these events, Rami is looking ahead to even more opportunities for collaboration and outreach. He has already met with the director of the JCC to discuss future events and has plans to raise even more awareness about the importance of footwear donations.<\/p>\n

For those interested in supporting Play Passion Project, Rami encourages you to check out their social media pages for live updates, giveaways and announcements. <\/p>\n

The organization is open to collaborations and welcomes new supporters.<\/p>\n

To donate or partner with Play Passion Project, simply send a direct message on Instagram or email Rami directly at play.passion.project@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"CourtesyPlay Passion Project, founded by 16-year-old Rami Rifi in January 2025, aims to create a positive impact for families worldwide\u2014one pair of shoes at a time. (Courtesy Amanda Oliva)Courtesy Amanda Oliva\"CourtesyPlay Passion Project, founded by 16-year-old Rami Rifi in January 2025, aims to create a positive impact for families worldwide\u2014one pair of shoes at a time. (Courtesy Amanda Oliva)Courtesy Amanda Oliva\"CourtesyPlay Passion Project, founded by 16-year-old Rami Rifi in January 2025, aims to create a positive impact for families worldwide\u2014one pair of shoes at a time. (Courtesy Amanda Oliva)Courtesy Amanda Oliva<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Editor\u2019s Note: In honor of the many everyday Staten Islanders who give back, make change, inspire others, advocate…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":76422,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":{"0":"post-76421","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-staten-island","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-nyc","11":"tag-staten-island","12":"tag-staten-island-headlines","13":"tag-staten-island-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76421\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}