Eco Sneakers: From Landfill Playground To Global Shoe Lifeline

If you have ever dropped a pair of tired running shoes in the collection bin at Big Peach East Cobb, you are part of a story that started beside a landfill and now stretches across Atlanta, the Southeast and more than a dozen countries. That story belongs to Eco Sneakers and its founder, Bobby Johnson, along with COO of Eco Sneakers, LLC and Executive Director of Eco Sneakers Foundation, Inc., Lynn McCray. This is how one man’s experience of not having the “right” shoes as a kid turned into millions of pounds of sneakers kept out of landfills, thousands of people served through shelters and schools, and a powerful partnership with Big Peach Running Co. East
Cobb.

Growing Up Next To A Landfill

Bobby grew up next to a landfill where refrigerators, grocery carts and discarded furniture were just part of the landscape. That was the playground. There was not money for high-end sneakers, and his classmates made sure he knew it. The teasing hurt, but it also lit a fire.

Instead of a fancy gym, Bobby used what he had. Tires became agility ladders. Refrigerators turned into plyometric boxes. He jumped over appliances, zigzagged through trash and practiced basketball passes off the walls of the trash compactor, imagining himself as Magic Johnson.

Those early days planted two things that still drive Eco Sneakers today:

• A deep understanding of what it feels like to go without proper shoes
• A stubborn belief that you can create something meaningful out of what everyone
  else throws away

One Pair On Cardiac Hill

Fast-forward. Bobby is in Atlanta, a husband and father, carrying years of competitive intensity around with him. A friend suggests he try the Peachtree Road Race to find some peace. The first step is a local 10K in Lawrenceville that leaves him sick and humbled, but something shifts. Running becomes a way to quiet down, listen and reset. During Peachtree training on Cardiac Hill, Bobby spots a man without sneakers. For someone who grew up being teased for not having the “right” shoes, that sight hit hard. The response was instinctive. He gave the man his own pair of shoes. Not a strategic plan. Just a gut-level, “I know what this feels like. Take these.”

That single act is the seed of Eco Sneakers. Bobby starts asking for extra shoes at his gym. People drop off what they are not using. They tell co-workers, Girl Scout troops and friends. Shoes begin to pile up. What was a one-off gesture becomes a habit, then a mission, then an organization.

From Mud Runs To Millions Of Steps

By 2014, Eco Sneakers is working obstacle races and mud runs across the country, including Warrior Dash events where mountains of muddy shoes get collected after each race. One single season of these events alone yielded close to 21,000 pairs.

Over time, Eco Sneakers has:

• Worked races in nearly every state
• Touched roughly 14 countries through export partners and microenterprises
• Collected an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 pairs of shoes each year in the Atlanta area alone

Shoes arrive from all over. The easy part is getting them. The hard part is everything that happens next. Eco Sneakers now operates across multiple warehouse spaces where volunteers and teams:

• Sort shoes by condition and category
• Clean and disinfect gently used pairs
• Bag and organize for homeless shelters, schools and community events
• Set aside heavily used pairs for recycling into Eco Grind material that becomes sandals, playground surfaces and other products

Shoes that cannot be worn in the United States still often have life in other countries. Export partners clean, repair and grade them, then funnel them into microenterprises that create jobs and affordable footwear overseas. One person’s “done” becomes someone else’s opportunity.

Enter Lynn: Executive Director, Educator, Force of Nature

Lynn first met Bobby through youth sports, coaching basketball when their kids were younger. Years later, he needed help with admin work. She had energy, experience and a desire to give back. That part-time admin role quickly evolved into events, collections and, eventually, her leadership of the Eco Sneakers Foundation.

Her first big event was a muddy obstacle race in rural Arkansas where people actually thanked her for handing out bags for their filthy sneakers. That was the hook. Since then, she has helped turn Eco Sneakers into a mix of logistics operation, education platform and joy generator.

Lynn’s background as an educator shows up everywhere. She is determined to teach people why recycling used shoes matters. Every pair kept out of a landfill is one less source of chemicals leaching into soil and water. Her personal goal this year is to reach one million pairs repurposed and to educate at least 100 people every day about why this effort matters.

Beyond Shelters: Teachers, Crosswalk Guards, Foster Youth And Eco Pals

Most people first hear about Eco Sneakers because of shoe drives and homeless shelters. They absolutely do that work. They currently support multiple shelters in the metro Atlanta area, and that number continues to grow.

But the reach is much wider. A few examples:

• Teachers Need Love Too: Entire schools outfitted with shoes for teachers, custodians, cafeteria staff and everyone who keeps the building running.
• Crosswalk Guard Support: Warm footwear, gloves, lip balm and hand warmers for those who keep kids safe at busy intersections.
• Aged-Out Foster Youth: Clothing and shoes for young adults who have aged out of foster care and suddenly need everything at once.
• Stuffed Eco Pals: Plush toys made with recycled sneaker material supporting mental health initiatives for kids.
• Sneaker Box Blessings: Rolling cabinets stocked with shoes, snacks and basic supplies that can be set up in public squares for those who need help.

Eco Sneakers has also caught the attention of athletes, community leaders and even national media. Partnerships with NFL players, Super Bowl events and a feature on the Kelly Clarkson Show have helped spread the mission nationwide. There’s even financial literacy programming that was showcased on the NASDAQ tower in Times Square. The work is about shoes, yes, but also about dignity, education and opportunity.

Why Eco Sneakers And Big Peach East Cobb Fit So Well Together

Our paths crossed thanks to a Leadership Sandy Springs Sneaker Week initiative. Lynn was looking for a partner on the East Cobb side of town and walked into Big Peach. The alignment was immediate.

At Big Peach East Cobb, our mission is to help more people enjoy a Pedestrian Active Lifestyle and to connect them with footwear that makes movement feel good. Eco Sneakers ensures that once a pair has done its miles on your feet, it still has a purpose. Together, we close the loop in a simple way. You buy a shoe that fits and feels right. When that shoe retires, it goes back into the world to help someone else.

From a customer perspective, it could not be easier:

• Bring your gently used or well-used sneakers to Big Peach East Cobb
• If we are closed, you can leave them by the door
• We make sure they get to Eco Sneakers instead of a landfill

When people hear that their old shoes might support a homeless shelter in Atlanta or become ground material for sustainable products, everything clicks. It is a small act that carries surprising weight.

How You Can Get Involved

If you feel pulled to do more than drop off shoes, there are plenty of options:

• Volunteer: Help sort, clean, bag and prep shoes or assemble projects like Eco Pals and Sneaker Box Blessings.
• Support Financially: Donations help fund warehouse space, cleaning supplies and future equipment like advanced grinding machinery. Eco Sneakers is listed on platforms such as Benevity and Mighty Cause.
• Bring A Group: Corporate teams, running groups, schools and neighborhood organizations are always welcome.
• Spread The Word: More awareness means more shoes saved from landfills and more individuals served through the donation of used running shoes.

Looking ahead, Bobby and Lynn envision an Eco Grind Center where people can drop off shoes, watch the recycling process and see their old sneakers become raw material for something entirely new. They hope to build a workforce including people with disabilities, seniors and youth — all contributing to work that keeps shoes in motion and out of landfills.

FAQs: Eco Sneakers, Shoe Recycling And Big Peach East Cobb

If your next pair of running shoes is ready to retire, bring them to Big Peach East Cobb. You will be part of a story that keeps growing one pair at a time.