KSHB 41 reporter Grant Stephens covers stories involving downtown Kansas City, Missouri up to North Kansas City. Share your story idea with Grant.
A global research firm has reported a steady increase in shoe prices over the past few years.
According to data from IBISWorld, there was a significant rise in prices towards the end of the pandemic due to heightened demand, which persists today.
With the U.S. relying heavily on shoe imports from China, tariffs are expected to contribute to further price increases.
Amid these rising costs, a local artist, Ray Hill, is determined to ensure that vulnerable individuals can still access shoes.
Having experienced homelessness himself, Ray understands firsthand the challenges faced by those without proper footwear.
Now that his music career is gaining attention, he wants to give back to the community. He chose to focus on shoes, having observed that many people living on the streets lacked them.
Those struggling often hold onto their only pair until it’s completely worn out.
Currently, Hill is collecting donated shoes, cleaning them up, and personally distributing them to individuals he encounters on the streets around the KC metro area.
He emphasizes the incredible boost in confidence that a good pair of shoes can bring, using the story of "That's the confidence in having a pair of new shoes ... All you have to do is start believing in yourself right now, you care about yourself," he said.
Ray is seeking more shoe donations and encourages people to drop off shoes at Lovely La's, a coffee shop located in Raytown near 63rd and Blue Ridge Boulevard.
