New and gently used shoe collection focus on “Women Empowering Women”
Your gently used shoes you no longer want can help create meaningful opportunities many in developing nations need!
That’s the message being delivered by Charleston Shoe Co. which has launched a drive to collect shoes to help those less fortunate around the globe. Used and new shoes can be dropped off through July 5th at 472 John Ringling Blvd on St. Armands Circle, Sarasota Fl 34236 between 10am-6pm Monday-Saturday and 12pm -5pm on Sundays.
The shoes that Charleston Shoe Co. collects will be delivered to Soles4Souls–a non-profit social enterprise that creates sustainable jobs and provides relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world. Founded in 2006, the organization has distributed more than 30 million pairs of new and used shoes in 127 countries.
“Charleston Shoe Co. is a strong supporter of Soles4Souls’ mission, and we hope to take a big step in providing the organization with the new and gently used shoes they require to disrupt the cycle of poverty around the globe,” says Sumatra Mass, Charleston Shoe Co.
Soles4Souls will convert every used pair of shoes collected from the community into a value-added social currency to achieve positive change, both humanitarian and economic. Gently used shoes will be distributed to micro-enterprise programs that create jobs for mostly women entrepreneurs in places like Haiti, Honduras and other developing nations. The resulting revenue will help fund the free distribution of new shoes in the U.S., Canada and developing nations around the world.
The World Bank estimates that approximately 900 million people live on less than $1.90 per day. 400 million are children. Millions of these children don’t have access to adequate footwear resulting in significant ramifications for their health and well-being. Tens of millions are at risk of infection from soil-transmitted parasitic diseases like hookworm, that can cause lasting suffering and lifelong debilitation. Meanwhile many adults don’t have access to sustainable employment. In Haiti for example, more than two-thirds of the labor force don’t have jobs.
“The simple truth is that almost anyone with a closet has shoes they don’t wear, or an old pair that will just end up in a landfill,” said Mass. “Give those to us, and know that you are taking a step to empower women all around the globe to provide for themselves and their family.”
