Cocoa Classic Run: Sandy Springs junior uses 5K to gift new shoes to elementary students

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. - A Sandy Springs high school student will donate all proceeds from a 5K race he started to give hundreds of running shoes to students from low-income families.

Collin Maher says it'll cost $14,000 to pay for a new pair of shoes for every Ison Springs elementary student. For him, the goal didn't seem out of reach. He's surpassed it before. FOX 5 was there last year when more than 600 elementary school students beamed while receiving a free pair of shoes thanks to the Cocoa Classic race.

When runners lace up for the Cocoa Classic 5K in February, they'll know that what they've paid to participate will help hundreds of students in need.

"Puma, Adidas, Nike, ASICS, name brand shoes," Maher explained the sky is the limit for the students he helps.

Everyone knows when you look good, you feel good and that confidence could lead to better grades.

For the second year in a row, Maher is the driving force behind the 3.1-mile race.

Last year, it raised $18,000, enough for every little foot at Lake Forest Elementary.

"I had a massive stack of thank you notes that I'm still reading," he said.

Collin Maher shows FOX 5 the stack of cards he received from students who were gifted new shoes.

This year, Ison Springs Elementary students will get the goods. Both schools have a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

"There's less students at this school. The goal is to raise $14,000," he said.

Teachers size their students and Maher's race works with nonprofit "Shoes That Fit" to make the kicks more affordable.

"Every $30 is one pair of shoes," he said. "With inflation, shoes are really expensive, so to get that at $30 is amazing."

Another perk this year comes from new-found sponsors who reached out to Maher. There are now even more ways to donate

"If you go to Road Runner, they'll give $1.75. If you want to help out even more, just showing up to Road Runner Sports helps out a lot," Maher said.

You could say Maher has his own big shoes to fill, considering last year's success. But at this rate, this year's students will likely find the same fate.

The Cocoa Classic started as Collin's Boy Scout Eagle project. Now, he's training his brother, so the race can go on while he's in college. This year's race will start and end at Mount Vernon Elementary on Feb. 17. If you'd like to sign up for the 5K, click here.