Opening speaker: Manny Ohonme, Co-Founder, CEO & President, Samaritan’s Feet

About Samaritan’s Feet: Samaritan’s Feet serves and inspires hope in children by providing shoes as the foundation to a spiritual and healthy life resulting in the advancement of education and economic opportunities.

Why Shoes? Over 30 years ago, a young Nigerian boy, Manny Ohonme, received his first pair of shoes at the age of nine. It changed his life and now he wants give others that same opportunity for change and impact. Samaritan’s Feet wants to inspire hope through the gift of shoes, the act of washing feet, and encouragement to those who need it most. People without shoes face dangers like laceration, fungus, and insect bites that can lead to infection, disease, and even death. Children with no shoes are often not allowed entrance to education in many countries and can find their way into slavery, or unsafe and inexcusable child labor environments. Since our founding in 2003, Samaritan’s Feet and its partners have distributed over 6.5 million pairs of shoes in 91 countries and 366 U.S. cities.

Featured Presenter: Dr. Edward Wheeler, President, Interdenominational Theological Center

About the Interdenominational Theological Center: Interdenominational Theological Center is very proud of its mission, origin and history that includes the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the accomplishments and growth of the great denominations that came together to create “The ITC.” As a consortium of six denominational seminaries, it offers a unique and diverse ecumenical community, where students can study with, and learn from, different denominations and graduate with a broader perspective.

It believes that it is critical today for The ITC to be an example of diversity, tolerance and restoration as it educates students for leadership in a religiously complex world. Since its founding in 1958, our focus has remained on educating students who commit to practicing justice and peace through a liberating and transforming spirituality to become leaders and in local and global communities.

About the Transform Westside Summit: Westside Future Fund’s Transform Westside Summit is held on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month and is free and open to the public. Our audience includes a diverse group stakeholders. Longtime neighborhood residents, community and faith leaders, heads of non-profits and corporate executives come together to share success stories and discuss challenges that currently affect our Westside neighborhoods.

Meetings begin promptly at 7:15 a.m. with morning devotion,* presented by a member of the historic Westside community, and complimentary breakfast, provided by Summit sponsor Chick-fil-A.

Many in our community are driven by their spiritual faith to participate in the Westside revitalization effort. The time at the beginning of our meetings is an opportunity to share various inspirational reflections. While the speakers may articulate their personal faith, it is meant to be inclusive, inspiring and meaningful. All are welcome.