{"id":1108,"date":"2026-05-27T12:14:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T16:14:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/magazine\/?p=1108"},"modified":"2026-05-28T12:52:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T16:52:27","slug":"jordan-adeyemis-nonprofit-has-plenty-of-sole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/magazine\/jordan-adeyemis-nonprofit-has-plenty-of-sole\/","title":{"rendered":"Jordan Adeyemi\u2019s Nonprofit Has Plenty of Sole"},"content":{"rendered":"
Sports<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Jordan<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One night in the summer of 2020, with much of the world in a COVID-19 lockdown, Jordan Adeyemi\u2019s family watched a movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pele: Birth of a Legend<\/em> chronicled the life and career of the Brazilian soccer star, from a childhood of grinding poverty to the highest reaches of fame and success. Adeyemi found a section of the film particularly moving: A teenaged Pele and his teammates compete in a tournament barefoot because they can\u2019t afford cleats. That team, known as The Shoeless Ones, transcends the patronizing attitudes of their better equipped opponents to earn a victory in the final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPele came from a community that lacked resources,\u201d the Clark sophomore recalls. \u201cI\u2019ve been exposed to a lot of incredible opportunities and experiences, and I think that\u2019s because of the resources and networks I\u2019ve had access to. This was eye-opening for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese shoes are going to somebody who can use them. There is a real purpose to it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Inspired by the film and with the support of their parents, Jordan, then 14, and his then-10-year-old brother, Jason, launched the nonprofit The Shoeless Ones, through which they collect and distribute new and gently used athletic shoes to communities where they\u2019re needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To date, The Shoeless Ones has engineered the collection and donation of 850 pairs of shoes in Adeyemi\u2019s native Atlanta, in New Hampshire, where he attended Phillips Exeter Academy, and in Lagos, Nigeria, where his parents were raised before immigrating to the United States. As of this writing, he was working to facilitate donations in Worcester. The brothers typically work with local charities and service organizations who handle distribution to the various communities \u2014 for instance, Soccer In the Streets has been a key ally in Atlanta, and Jordan\u2019s aunt is The Shoeless Ones\u2019 liaison to recipients in Nigeria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jordan
Jordan Adeyemi on the soccer field.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Adeyemi, a midfielder\/winger on the Clark men\u2019s soccer team, notes that people have been responsive to their mission. \u201cThey\u2019re seeing that these shoes are going to somebody who can use them. There is a real purpose to it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A data science major with a psychology track, Adeyemi expects to pursue a data analytics career in the health care sector, possibly in the mental health field. His internships \u2014 with Clark\u2019s Office of Strategic Analytics, Assessment, and Institutional Research; with the social impact management team at Coca-Cola in Atlanta; and currently with Mass Audubon, working with the Habitat Management Guideline Database\u2014have already given him deep experience in a two-year span.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As this story was being written, Adeyemi had just begun training for the spring soccer season, with 7 a.m. workouts on the Granger Field under coach Sam Matteson. He describes his role on the team as \u201ca connector and creator\u201d who thrives in the transition game between offense and defense, getting the ball to the strikers but also creating his own opportunities to attack the net. And when the opponent is on the march, Adeyemi becomes a critical cog in protecting Clark\u2019s end of the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As his sophomore year nears its close, Adeyemi is considering what the future may hold for The Shoeless Ones. He hopes to keep his nonprofit viable after he graduates and even expand its reach, but he\u2019s unsure whether he\u2019ll have the capacity to do so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight now, I\u2019m looking at career paths, working at an internship, and I\u2019ve got soccer and schoolwork, so I really can\u2019t say for sure what shape The Shoeless Ones will be in two to three years,\u201d he says. \u201cI do hope it\u2019s something I\u2019m able to continue and balance, and maybe even incorporate, with my life and work. I truly want to see that happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Shoeless Ones has been a key part of my life. We\u2019re seeing how these shoes are making a difference in kids\u2019 lives, and that\u2019s pretty special. It\u2019s beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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