Entrepreneur Ben Charles launched SAVES BY B as a way to give back–figuratively and literally. Always a sneaker aficionado, he combined his love of sports and design and recognized a need to provide sneakers for young people who either couldn’t afford them or didn’t have access to them. His program is simple: for every one pair of sneakers you buy, you are extending your hand to someone else in need and providing them with that exact same style of shoe. There is no difference in design, quality or durability and all the sneakers are exactly the same. That similarity is what joins the giver with the receiver. It’s the link that creates a sense of community.

“I did it because I saw that so many people here and abroad either don’t have access to or are unable afford sneakers,” says Charles about launching SAVES BY B. “For me, sneakers always gave me confidence and motivation, so I know how important it is for young people to have them.”

“It is very important to me that both the person giving the sneaker and the person receiving the sneaker get the exact same style. I didn’t want there to be any distinction between the two. When someone is walking down the street wearing a pair of SAVES, you don’t know if he was a giver or a receiver. All you know is that he is taking part in this,” he continues.

“People told me that I was too young to make a difference, but that just made me want to work harder. The more I see what is going in the world today, the more I realize that we are responsible for the world we live in and we must do something to help those who may need a hand.”

Click here to find out more about Saves By B.