Three Stories That Defined Our Community in 2025
Monday, January 26, 2026
2025 was another powerful year of impact for the Two Ten Footwear Foundation. Through relief grants, higher-education scholarships, and upskilling opportunities, we supported footwear employees and their families during moments of hardship and helped open doors for long-term opportunities.
These three stories capture the impact of our work and the many ways we lifted lives in footwear in 2025:
Two Ten Scholar: Ayla Barbeau
From Sales Floor to Fashion Merchandising
Ayla Barbeau’s experience as a sales associate at DSW — a job she started as a teenager — ultimately led her to pursue a career in fashion. With support from Two Ten, Ayla is currently studying fashion merchandising at Kent State University while working part-time at DSW. She is exploring different career paths within fashion, but one thing is for certain: she isn’t looking to leave DSW any time soon.
“I've thought about how maybe I could work my way up in DSW, or maybe one day work at headquarters,” Ayla said. “I've stayed at DSW because I really love all the people. It's a very good, friendly and supportive team.”
WIFI Grantee: Jilleen Liao
Deepening Knowledge in Footwear Design
Freelance footwear designer and consultant Jilleen Liao received a WIFI Grant last year to complete coursework in performance footwear development, advancing her career as a designer.
The experience allowed her to reflect on the intersection between tradition and innovation in footwear design, while also building meaningful connections.
“The course encouraged me to think about what's possible when old-world shoe techniques and insights blend with new advances in tooling,” Jilleen said. “I don't think I would have had the opportunity or space to sit and wonder about what is possible had it not been for that program. Also meeting amazing new people through that experience was great as well.”
Relief: Los Angeles Wildfires Fires
In January 2025, devastating wildfires swept across the Los Angeles metropolitan area and San Diego County, displacing families, disrupting businesses and threatening lives. Two Ten moved quickly to provide emergency relief to dozens of footwear employees affected by the fires.
Behind every grant was a personal story of loss and resilience:
“My entire house burned down. So did all of my neighbors' houses. I cannot afford this type of situation. I don't know what to do right now. I lost everything.”
“I have asthma and the smoke has really reduced air quality where I live, making it much harder to sleep. I have to use my inhaler much more than usual and I no longer have insurance. This entire situation has been really stressful.”
“Our store closed down for a couple of days because of the fire and also had to leave early due to the air quality.”