STATEN ISLAND, New York (WABC) — A Staten Island high school junior’s mission to give back goes well beyond the holiday season.<\/p>\n
Rami Rifi founded the ‘Play Passion Project,’ an organization that provides shoes to kids in need, not just locally, but globally.<\/p>\n
A special holiday surprise awaited kids inside a P.S. 74 gym on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
A new pair of sneakers, snow boots, dress shoes and slides were waiting for every single student thanks to the nonprofit.<\/p>\n
Rifi, a 16-year-old junior at Staten Island Academy, says he was cleaning out his closet when he came up with the idea for this nonprofit.<\/p>\n
“I found almost 30 pairs of shoes I just didn’t wear anymore, in good quality, and I just don’t want to throw them away,” Rifi said.<\/p>\n
Now he helps get lightly worn or straight from the box shoes donated to kids in need.<\/p>\n
“It’s a lot more than shoes, it is. The shoes represent dignity, confidence, having something comfortable to walk in, even,” Rifi said.<\/p>\n
Rifi planned the winter break send-off with the help of local vendors who filled goodie bags.<\/p>\n
“We have approximately 50 students who live in shelters, our school is a high-poverty school so anything that we can do for our students and bring them some joy this holiday season brings us so much joy,” Principal of P.S. 74, Susan Mazzeo, said.<\/p>\n
Treats were laid out while a parade of kids from each grade met Santa and picked up their kicks.<\/p>\n
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