My brother Skip Johnson, died by suicide in 2015. His death had a profound impact on my family and me. It was the catalyst for us to take action and create a foundation that helps individuals who have experienced suicidal ideation or attempted suicide to heal and recover. Our foundation was established with the aim of providing scholarships to suicide survivors that offer relief, therapy, and holistic ways of healing through nature and community. We believe that survivors need to reconnect with themselves, with others and nature to heal and recover. Our services are available to any individual who has survived a suicide attempt or has lost a loved one to suicide.

We seek funding to begin our work and expand our reach to more survivors of suicide. Any funding received would enable us to offer more scholarships that provide relief, therapy, and holistic ways of healing through nature. The scholarships would cover the cost of retreats, workshops, and therapies aimed at helping individuals recover and establish a connection with nature.

Our scholarships are designed to provide a wide range of healing modalities, including art therapy, yoga, meditation, hiking, and group therapy. These modalities have been identified as effective methods of treating mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and trauma. In addition to this, we also aim to take care of any immediate needs of any families that have been struck by this tragedy as well.

We envision our scholarships offering survivors a chance to connect with others who are going through similar experiences. This community building aspect is crucial as it helps individuals feel heard, seen, and understood. We believe that shared experiences can often be a powerful catalyst for healing, especially when it comes to mental health issues.

Furthermore, the Skip's Foundation scholarships will enable individuals to experience the healing power of nature. Immersing oneself in nature has long been recognized as a powerful tool for improving mental health. Studies have shown that spending time in nature can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

EIN: 87-3324308

I’m gonna tell you a quick story about how the @wearskips mission came to be. Pictured here are my good friend, both of us Ryans… Ryan squared I guess? In January 2020 he had invited me out to a retreat in Poland. From an outsider looking in, this appeared to be some sort of extreme trip for only a crazy man. That’s why I said yes!!! I was still sort of coming out of my own depression. After my brother Skip Johnson‘s death I had my own sort of spiral of grief. Going into this retreat, I was thinking this was going to be an absolutely crazy testosterone filled weekend. 

Well…

I left with an absolute, completely, and profoundly different experience from my expectations of this retreat. This retreat took me out of my bubble of grief, introduced me to absolutely wonderful people, New ways of thought, and challenged my mindset and beliefs. I found myself leaving in growth mindset. After this experience I thought to myself how can we re-create this experience to potentially help others through their grief, their depression, their anxiety, and other mental illnesses. Ryan (Mickle as we call him) came up with the idea of scholarships, so we went from there and we decided we would take 10% (a starting point) of every Skip’s purchase and put it into a scholarship program to provide others in need with this type of growth mindset/spiritual retreat experience amongst other more general needs to the individual. We hope that as we get the word out… which we need your help to do, we can all contribute to more people’s well-being through this method of non-conventional, individual medicine.

Running provides a safe healthy environment for healing.

Putting on a pair of Skip's after your run or athletic event provides a state of euphoria one can only describe having experienced a flow state. You will laugh and smile for no reason at all.

This is the spirit of Skip saying "Sup Dude"

We carry our message against the stigma of mental health. Join us on our journey to bring awareness to the space if mental health through our colorful loud branding bringing the message of unity. We will never be the brown black or grey sandal company simply because of our message, also because Skip was never boring.

Sandals are more than footwear—they’re a bold statement. Forget dull brown or black. These eye-catching designs in loud colors and fun patterns spark conversations, turn heads, and build connections. Inspired by my brother, a vibrant soul who loved Vans shoes, our sandals embody his colorful spirit but also the comfort of his soul.
Each pair carries a deeper meaning. The bright hues symbolize solidarity with those touched by suicide, silently saying, “I see you” to those who’ve felt loss. By wearing our sandals, you join a community united in healing and hope.