SYRACUSE, N.Y. — For those in need, something as simple as a pair of shoes can make all the difference.
This year marks 15 years since Ralph Rotella, owner of Discount Shoe Repair in Downtown Syracuse, started collecting shoes as part of his annual collection drive. They’re repaired before being donated to the Rescue Mission.
“A long time ago a homeless man came in the store barefoot, so I gave him a pair and after that I decided to start collecting shoes for people who need them,” Rotella told CNY Central in 2024…