I spent the entire month of May organizing and hosting a shoe drive locally, which also led to a lag in adding articles which are now up. The purpose of this blog post, however, is to bring attention to a great organization through which I organized the shoe drive. It is called Soles4Souls and they have been distributing shoes nationally and internationally for a number of years. What I like best is their policy $1 = 1 pair. For every dollar that gets donated, a person in need gets a pair of shoes. They have a system for allowing individuals, organizations, or communities come together and hold a shoe drive - with the same concept of a food drive, but for shoes. They provide the materials - collection boxes, informational brochures, etc.
After learning that shoe drives normally last a month long, I arranged for it to take place throughout the month of May at local businesses where people could bring their shoes to donate, and at Wal-Mart and Stater Bros. I was also collecting money donations. While I was unable to get any volunteers to help me, I managed to collect 241 whole pairs of shoes, 40 half pairs, and 335 dollars. While it was time-consuming, it was well worth it and I suggest it to anyone, because we can all make a difference and create even a little bit of change in the world.
Many people know that having no shoes is a major problem around the world and here in America, but don't realize how easy it is for them to help. Other people don't realize the extent that the problem goes to, such as completely preventable diseases with proper foot hygiene. Giving your shoes to a thrift store will often lead to them simply being thrown in the trash, not even recycled, because stores get so much excess donated.
When it comes down to it, everyone has a dollar. Whether it's from your couch cushions or the change from your daily Starbucks coffee, everyone can afford a dollar to donate to a person in need receiving a pair of shoes.
So give a buck, and change someones luck.
After learning that shoe drives normally last a month long, I arranged for it to take place throughout the month of May at local businesses where people could bring their shoes to donate, and at Wal-Mart and Stater Bros. I was also collecting money donations. While I was unable to get any volunteers to help me, I managed to collect 241 whole pairs of shoes, 40 half pairs, and 335 dollars. While it was time-consuming, it was well worth it and I suggest it to anyone, because we can all make a difference and create even a little bit of change in the world.
Many people know that having no shoes is a major problem around the world and here in America, but don't realize how easy it is for them to help. Other people don't realize the extent that the problem goes to, such as completely preventable diseases with proper foot hygiene. Giving your shoes to a thrift store will often lead to them simply being thrown in the trash, not even recycled, because stores get so much excess donated.
When it comes down to it, everyone has a dollar. Whether it's from your couch cushions or the change from your daily Starbucks coffee, everyone can afford a dollar to donate to a person in need receiving a pair of shoes.
So give a buck, and change someones luck.