Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Masangcay.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Bata Sole was inspired after my brother and I visited the Philippines in 2012. Luckily, we had the opportunity to visit my mother’s village, Casilagan, in the Pangasinan province. We witnessed the poor living conditions that the villagers had to endure each day. Initially, heartbroken and disturbed, we transformed these feelings into motivation when we came across a rustic basketball court, where the children ran up and down the court without shoes on. The next day, we held a basketball tournament for a pair of Kobe 7’s to a player on the winning team. The attendance and participation were great and made it clear how much of positive impact shoes can have on a community. I ended up donating the pair to a kid that made the game-winning three-point shot, but it was clear that we needed to create a greater difference in impoverished communities moving forward.
From there, we created Bata Sole, a non-profit that aims to collect and distribute new and used athletic shoe wear to impoverished communities to ensure and provide the basic conditions needed for wellness and exercise. Since our establishment in 2017, our team has expanded from two to a dozen and we’ve worked hard to donate over 1,000 shoes to date.
Has it been a smooth road?
One of the biggest challenges is keeping the momentum. After working hard for months to provide as many people as possible with new and used athletic shoes, it’s easy to want to relax and take time off, but as a whole, we understand that there are still millions of people without a proper pair of shoes and that our job is far from over.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Bata Sole aims to collect and distribute new and used athletic shoe wear to impoverished communities to ensure and provide the basic conditions needed for wellness and exercise. We’re looking to assist those in need who seek the means to pursue their dreams by staying active each day. At Bata Sole, we don’t look over our shoulder at other companies and non-profits, we focus on our mission to provide basic equipment needed for wellness and exercise. We believe that everyone deserves this in life and we have no plans on stopping until we achieve our goal.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Since our establishment, we’ve created a great deal of memorable moments, whether it’s the simple smile from a child or receiving genuine appreciation from their elders, these are the moments that truly resonate with us and keep the team working hard to create a greater impact in communities.
This Summer, we partnered up with Chicago Hopes for Kids and helped the homeless kids of Chicago kick off their summer on the right foot. On their last day of school, we provided the children with new shoes.
Last month, we reached a huge milestone by donating over 1,000 shoes to the Pangasinan Province during the villages annual barrio celebration. We dished out shoes to children, adults and elderly, some which were lacing up shoes for the first time.
Positively affecting the lives of so many people at once was a first for us and is a moment that we’ll hold on to for the rest of our lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.batasole.com
- Phone: 630-999-9220
- Email: hellobatasole@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batasole/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bataSOLE/
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