Basketball coach Ron Hunter of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) went barefoot during a game and he did not expect the overwhelming support he obtained for an advocacy that intends to give pairs of shoes to thousands of African children.

"When we started this I thought 40,000 was going to be tough," Hunter told the Indianapolis Star. "When they told me before the game we already had 100,000, honestly, I almost broke down in tears."

Hunter, whose coaching style is pacing around during a game, admitted his foot ached after the game won by the team, 82-69, against Oklahoma University.

"But imagine a child or a human going their whole lives without shoes," he noted.

He was just aiming to collect 40,000 pairs and was touched to know that they have so far gathered 110,000 pairs after a month's campaign. It was announced during the game that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had donated 10,000 pairs, with the possibility of more to come. Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based charity, donated 40,000 pairs. Wal-Mart gave 25,000; Nine West, a women's shoe company, offered another 5, 200. Converse donated 15,000 during Hunter's appearance on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike in the Morning" on Thursday.

Some of the students, who watched the game joined Hunter and went barefoot for the entire game.

Hunter has been moved by the Samaritan's Feet advocacy and he intends to personally distribute the shoes this summer specifically to Cameroon--Jaguars freshman guard Christian Siakam's home country.