Pictured above, left to right, are Sean O’Toole, Colin Duncan, Angela O’Neal (Innersole), Kenya Lighty, Savannah Russell, Kim Patton, Heyward Bonyata, Clara Koon, Julie Flaming, Luke Fox, Rick McGee, and Michael Scholz

COLUMBIA – Columbia Encompass team members got to work for a good cause on Thursday, Aug. 11 at their Discovery Operations Center. The group packaged over 100 pairs of shoes for local students in grades K-12 for distribution by Innersole, a foundation that provides shoes to children in need at the beginning of every school year. 

Columbia partner Julie Flaming spearheads Encompass's service projects. Encompass has partnered with Innersole for over five years. 

“It's really great to support such a worthwhile cause,” Flaming said. “Encompass has a long tradition of giving back to its communities, and we try to do something meaningful every quarter to better the world around us.”

Innersole Director of Operations Angela O’Neal coordinated the service project and explained where Innersole got its roots.

“Every kid needs to know what it feels like to have a new pair of shoes,” O’Neal said. “It’s just like in Cinderella, a new pair of shoes can change your whole life.”

Innersole was started by the University of South Carolina Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dawn Staley and Rene McCall, who came up with this shoe donation idea when she found countless pairs of unopened shoes at the bottom of her closet that she didn't have a need for. Innersole was born from McCall's discussion about the unopened shoes with Staley in 2015. Their mission was "to create a sole movement that allows a common bond of compassion and humanity uniting us by the gift of giving new sneakers and the responsibility of shaping an enduring imprint." For more information on Innersole, go to https://www.innersole.org/.

Nelson Mullins Encompass is a division of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. Established in 2007, Encompass provides clients facing significant litigation, government investigations, and transactions with end-to-end e-discovery technology, document review, and integrated counsel and advocacy.  For more information on Encompass, go to encompass.nelsonmullins.com.