The Story of One Amazing Teen

The Power of ONE Amazing Teen - Grace

Sometimes it only takes a spark to start a fire. At GLA we found a spark that has helped our children with 100 pairs of shoes. This spark is Grace, a 17-year-old teenager. Grace lives in a small town on the outskirts of Phoenix. On the outside, Grace is a typical teenager that enjoys hiking, works at the local coffee shop and loves playing with her dog. But on the inside is something extraordinary. We at GLA call it “The Power of One.” While spending a month in the Dominican Republic with her family, Grace noticed that many kids played barefoot in trash-lined streets maneuvering around broken glass and rusted debris. Those images made an impact on this 17-year-old. As it turns out, it made quite an impact.

When Grace returned home, “God was pulling on her heart strings” and Grace decided she would try to make an impact that took the form of a shoe drive. She found GLA a “good fit” and started collecting shoes. It started with her friends, neighbors and then some of her regular customers at the local coffee shop where she works. But it really took off when Grace’s mom posted on Facebook. See Grace got her heart for giving from her family, her mom worked for Samaritan’s Purse, where she provided emergency medical care to Afghanistan refugees.

It Only takes a Spark

Once people started reading the Facebook post, people from all over the country wanted to ship Grace their old shoes. The cost was prohibitive. So, Grace suggested they donate to their local community. When it was all said and done, Grace collected over 100 pair of shoes. Then dad stepped in and decided to share his expertise as well. He reached out to a shipping company called EroLogistics and they were able to help with the shipping costs to Haiti. Grace, a junior in high school, collected 100 pairs of shoes because she saw a need and wanted to take some action. The Power of One. What’s ahead for Grace? Getting her pilot’s license, finishing high school, heading to college, playing with her dog, you know, what kids do. Her future looks bright for sure. And the kids at GLA will be celebrating their new-found treasures. We will keep you updated as the children receive shoes, lots of them and show their excitement as to what giving looks like from a teenager in Arizona. How does Grace feel about the whole experience? “I knew that if I could just help one kid it would be worth it.”