Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe MANTEO, N.C., July 14 (UPI) -- A North Carolina man says he is running across the state barefoot to draw attention to budget cuts and raise money for youth programs. Matt Jenkins, 29, said his run, which began Wednesday in Manteo, is aimed at drawing attention to reductions in programs affecting young people. He hopes to raise $15,000 for Watauga County's only middle school after-school program, which lost its funding two years ago, the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal reported Wednesday. Advertisement "I'm totally winging it," said Jenkins, who has been running long distances barefoot for years. "I have a tentative schedule of how far I'm running each day, but I have no idea how I'm going to feel on Day 1, much less how I will feel on Day 20." Jenkins works for the Western Youth Network in Boone, which provides mentoring and summer programs to children. He said donations can be made through the network's Web site, www.westernyouthnetwork.org.
