About Us

SHOES FOR AUSTIN
Thousands of children in Central Texas have never known the joy of a brand new pair of shoes.
Together we are changing that, one child and one pair of shoes at a time.

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Shoes for Austin was founded in January of 2000 by a group of philanthropic Austinites, led by Susan Dell, CEO of the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation and Paul Carrozza, owner of RunTex, with the mission of providing new, brand name athletic shoes to disadvantaged youth and families in the Austin area, thereby improving the health and wellness of our region.

Our mission: To motivate children (K-12) to achieve physical fitness goals by providing them with the incentive of new, brand-name athletic shoes.

Over the years, there has been a dramatic increase in diabetes and other diseases related to childhood obesity. This epidemic will not improve without coordinated prevention. It is important to unite corporations, local nonprofits, and the children themselves in order to effect lasting behavioral change and fight this problem.

Through our SHOES 4 KIDS incentive program, SHOES FOR AUSTIN partners with Austin area nonprofits and schools, where children spend a majority of their time, to provide new athletic shoes directly to underserved children participating in endurance and fitness training programs.

This year, SHOES FOR AUSTIN anticipates serving 6,000 at-risk, underserved children through its SHOES 4 KIDS incentive program.

2009 Board of Directors:
Betsy Ashcraft Paul Carrozza Barbara Garrana	Maury Giles Kathy Papermaster Debbie Patterson Honorary Board Member: Susan Dell

Executive Director, Dianne Bangle

Dianne Bangle launched the Shoes for Austin program in 2000 and has been responsible for its overall management for the past eight years. Prior to her work in the nonprofit field, Dianne was associate general counsel for a private equity firm in Denver, Colorado.

Dianne was born in Seattle, Washington and graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinction in Sociology. Immediately following, she moved to Austin and earned her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1998. Following graduation, she moved to Denver to practice corporate law. She soon discovered that she had another calling and upon learning of an opportunity to take the reins of a new nonprofit organization back in Austin, she could not resist. She stays active in the Austin community by participating in a number of intramural sports and playing basketball year-round. She is a member of Leadership Austin Class of 2003, serves on the board of the LBJ Library Future Forum and served as a mentor for Liv in the Game. In addition, she has been a youth basketball coach for several years. Dianne is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the State Bar of Colorado.

Dianne is married to Shannon Wade Bangle, an Austin attorney, and has two young children.

Program Assistant, Kate Norton