A few days after announcing the county wide shoe drive in San Diego, the donations are rolling in! We have 20 drop off locations across the city and the boxes are full. North Coast Calvery experienced a line up of folks bringing in product. " A pair of shoes makes a huge difference in peoples lives, we take it seriously to collect as many as we can and put them on feet," said Paul Wilson, President and General Manager of Soles4Souls, Inc.
In addition, we are in final stages of 20 Albertsons stores stepping up with a drop off place for the shoes.
We will update website www.soles4souls.org/sandiego with the Albertsons locations tomorrow once it is official.
Fox - San Diego is going to feature the shoe drive tomorrow which we will stream in live once aired.
"I am thrilled about the city wide participation that is going on. Last week, we distributed shoes in the slums of Venezuela where they had nothing. This is what it is all about, making a difference in someone's life by donating shoes," added Wilson.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Footwear Drive off to a roaring start! Thanks "Bear"!!!
SOLES4SOULS FOOTWEAR DRIVE OFF TO ROARING START
San Diego, California -- The Soles4Souls Footwear Drive in San Diego is off to a roaring start. Last week, members of North Coast Calvary Chapel literally gave the shoes off their feet to help people in Africa who have no footwear. The Outreach Pastor (Pastor "Bear") of the church made a brief but passionate plea to his congregation, and together, they made a worldwide statement by removing their own shoes during the morning service to give to hurting people in Africa.
Teaming up with the national Soles4Souls team -- a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Wadley, Alabama -- groups like North Coast Calvary Chapel are stepping up to make a difference. Founder of Soles4Souls, longtime footwear executive Wayne Elsey, said that the footwear drive in San Diego is indicative of the overall generosity of Americans. "People in San Diego and around the country have huge hearts and shoes to donate," he said.
Pastor "Bear" of North Coast Calvary Chapel pointed out that simple footwear donations by Americans can go a long way. "Americans have more than 1.5 billion pairs of shoes in their closets while many of the poorest and needy go without any," he said. "It's a simple but telling gesture that can bring some assistance to those people in Africa and around the world."
The San Diego Footwear Drive has established a Donation Center at North Coast Calvary Chapel until June 30th. It will be open from 9:30 am until 6:00 pm daily.
"The people of San Diego and surrounding areas can deliver their shoes to our donation center for the next ten days," Paul Wilson, President of Soles4Souls said. "We encourage all southern Californians who can to stop in a deliver their footwear."
North Coast Calvary Chapel is located in Carlsbad, California, just north of San Diego. You can get specific directions and donation instructions at the footwear drive's website: www.soles4souls.org/sandiego.
Even if you don't live in the San Diego area, you can make a donation by donating cash to help with freight costs. "We need help in getting these shoes to the people in Africa and all over the world," said Wilson. The non-profit group has established a website (www.soles4souls.org) and is coordinating with individuals and corporations around the world to bring the gift of shoes to hurting people everywhere. Cash donations earmarked for freight can be sent to the home office in Wadley, Alabama and are tax-deductible.
Soles4Souls was established to make a difference in people's lives with the gift of shoes. It all began with the Asian Tsunami Relief Drive, when Elsey, President of Kodiak-Terra USA, Inc. called on his colleagues in the shoe industry to step up and donate shoes. 18 months later, Soles4Souls has collected and distributed over 1 million pairs of shoes, both used and new. Last year,over 3/4 million pairs were sent to the region affected by Hurricane Katrina.
"North Coast Calvary Church is managing our shoe drive in the San Diego area, and people are asked to make donations of extras in their closet," Wilson said. "Clean out your closet and drop them off at our collection centers (at the church). We will process them and get them on the way to impact people's lives."
Souls4Soles will be sending many of the shoes collected from this effort to Malawi and Swaziland, two African countries in much need of the footwear.
For more information, visit the footwear drive website at www.soles4souls.org/sandiego/ or call 1-334-TO-DONATE (334-863-6628).
Venezuela distribution - what a success!!!
SOLES4SOULS HANDING OUT SHOES IN THE SLUMS OF VENEZUELA
Maracaibo, Venezuela and Nashville, TN- In the slums of Maracaibo, Venezuela, bare-footed people rummage through filth for food, clothing, tools, and materials. They eat the garbage that even the poor throw away. These slums are full of disease, poverty, and desperate people. And yet today you will find that many people in this poverty-stricken region have new shoes, courtesy of Soles4Souls and caring local ministers who wade into the slums to offer the basics in human dignity.
Teva and New Balance sandals were recently distributed to these Venezuelans by local pastors, whose members minister to the villages surrounding Maracaibo. Pastors Edgar and Miguel brought hundreds of pairs of shoes donated through Soles4Souls, a US-based non-profit group whose primary aim is to provide footwear to people who don't have shoes.
"It's a simple gesture but it can mean a lot to people who have to rummage through the trash everyday," said Paul Wilson, President of Soles4Souls. "Considering that Americans have over 1.5 billion pairs of shoes sitting in their closets, it's the least that we can do to provide a small amount of pride and comfort to people without either."
Soles4Souls is an ongoing worldwide effort, and the slums of Maracaibo are the simply the latest stop. Shoes are being handed out in poor regions of Ecuador, and the team is also sending over 85,000 pairs of shoes to barefoot people in Uganda, Africa. According to Wilson, Soles4Souls continually needs new and used footwear donations, as well as cash donations to help with freight and operating expenses.
Soles4Souls was established to make a difference in people's lives with the gift of shoes. It began with the Asian Tsunami Relief Drive, when Wayne Elsey, President of Kodiak-Terra USA, Inc. called on his colleagues in the shoe industry to step up and donate shoes. 18 months later, Soles4Souls established itself as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and has collected and distributed over 1 million pairs of shoes, both used and new. Last year,over 3/4 million pairs were sent to the region affected by Hurricane Katrina.
This year, the Soles4Souls team is arranging citywide footwear drives, like the current drive in San Diego (www.soles4souls.org/sandiego) and over 20 planned in the next few months.
For more information, visit the non-profit's website at www.soles4souls.org or call 334-TO-DONATE (334-863-6628).
Maracaibo, Venezuela and Nashville, TN- In the slums of Maracaibo, Venezuela, bare-footed people rummage through filth for food, clothing, tools, and materials. They eat the garbage that even the poor throw away. These slums are full of disease, poverty, and desperate people. And yet today you will find that many people in this poverty-stricken region have new shoes, courtesy of Soles4Souls and caring local ministers who wade into the slums to offer the basics in human dignity.
Teva and New Balance sandals were recently distributed to these Venezuelans by local pastors, whose members minister to the villages surrounding Maracaibo. Pastors Edgar and Miguel brought hundreds of pairs of shoes donated through Soles4Souls, a US-based non-profit group whose primary aim is to provide footwear to people who don't have shoes.
"It's a simple gesture but it can mean a lot to people who have to rummage through the trash everyday," said Paul Wilson, President of Soles4Souls. "Considering that Americans have over 1.5 billion pairs of shoes sitting in their closets, it's the least that we can do to provide a small amount of pride and comfort to people without either."
Soles4Souls is an ongoing worldwide effort, and the slums of Maracaibo are the simply the latest stop. Shoes are being handed out in poor regions of Ecuador, and the team is also sending over 85,000 pairs of shoes to barefoot people in Uganda, Africa. According to Wilson, Soles4Souls continually needs new and used footwear donations, as well as cash donations to help with freight and operating expenses.
Soles4Souls was established to make a difference in people's lives with the gift of shoes. It began with the Asian Tsunami Relief Drive, when Wayne Elsey, President of Kodiak-Terra USA, Inc. called on his colleagues in the shoe industry to step up and donate shoes. 18 months later, Soles4Souls established itself as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and has collected and distributed over 1 million pairs of shoes, both used and new. Last year,over 3/4 million pairs were sent to the region affected by Hurricane Katrina.
This year, the Soles4Souls team is arranging citywide footwear drives, like the current drive in San Diego (www.soles4souls.org/sandiego) and over 20 planned in the next few months.
For more information, visit the non-profit's website at www.soles4souls.org or call 334-TO-DONATE (334-863-6628).
Friday, June 09, 2006
June is off to a fast start!
Wow - June 9th already! This month is flying by and we are kicking on all cylinders. Our corporate and individual donations continue to be strong! We have over 20 shoe drives in place in June in cities all over the country as San Diego, Roanoke, Nashville, LA to name a few.
Product is in route to Quito, Ecuador and Maracaibo, Venezuela. Both of these countries while rich in oil have a huge population of people with out shoes..... Sad.
Tremendous response from retailers, footwear companies, individuals, and businesses. From our own backyard, coast to coast, and even a shipment in transit from China. Thank you for making a difference you are making with the gift of shoes.
Product is in route to Quito, Ecuador and Maracaibo, Venezuela. Both of these countries while rich in oil have a huge population of people with out shoes..... Sad.
Tremendous response from retailers, footwear companies, individuals, and businesses. From our own backyard, coast to coast, and even a shipment in transit from China. Thank you for making a difference you are making with the gift of shoes.
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