It took 131 days but on July 2023 FlyKickz successfully raised $6,000 to curate the 1st interactive Youth Sneaker Customizing Workshop (YSCW) experience for youth within the Trenton Community. This immersive event was supported by Isles, their contribution helped to purchase the Nike Air Force 1 sneakers and art supplies for each participant and the I am Trenton partial grant awarded to FlyKickz to help jump start this endeavor.
To make this event even more successful FlyKickz partnered with Mercer County Community College Fashion Program/Fashion club to host this event at MCCC Trenton Hall located in Downtown Trenton, received food sponsorship from Wegmans Princeton and Walmart Hamilton. In addition, hundreds of items were gifted to the participants provided by various small businesses/organizations utilizing FlyKickz’s social media.
The YSCW not only provided an opportunity for the youth to learn the fundamentals of sneaker customization but it created a fun and safe environment for each participant to connect & engage creatively, emotionally and mentally while customizing their very own pair of sneakers.
Since completing the YSCW on August 5th FlyKickz has received great feedback from participants and parents who have stated, “The workshop was very much enjoyable, I hope to see more of these in the future! Thanks Dez it was definitely something I can boost about to my fellow peers!”
“Make this happen again pleasee! I enjoyed it and I hope this can happen again. It was very much enjoyed because I got to do something I’ve never done before.”
“He learned so much and is very thankful for this one in a lifetime experience. You’ve done an amazing job in your event! We hope future events will be more around for more experiences and more opportunities in presenting our youth.”
“Your workshop definitely did what I was hoping it would do and that was build his self esteem and I shall forever be grateful.”
Crossing that finish line was a long journey that required, thousands of hours of work and months of preparation but FlyKickz goal is to create yearly anticipated events for the youth and the community. With the right funding and support the 2023 Youth Sneaker Customizing Workshop will be the beginning and stepping stone for greater things to come!
