Sandy Savarino-Hoppe ’80 (CLAS) has started a unique foundation in memory of her daughter, Victoria “Vicky” Marie Hoppe, who died in 2022 at age 25 after a three-year battle with cancer. Her daughter, nicknamed “Slick Vick,” was a Division 1 track and field athlete who believed in the feeling of empowerment that a new pair of sneakers provides.

“Being a collegiate runner, she was very focused on sneakers and sneaker culture,” Savarino-Hoppe explains. “She loved everything about new running shoes and the empowerment they gave her and her network of friends. She would buy new sneakers to give as gifts to people in her network who were struggling with substance abuse, mental health issues, and other life obstacles. It was her way of affirming her belief in their ability to overcome these obstacles and succeed.”

Savarino-Hoppe decided to honor her daughter’s legacy by starting the Slick’s Kicks Charitable Foundation in December 2023. The Florida-based foundation buys and gives trendy new sneakers to people who complete self-help programs.