West Sacramento Businesses Team Up to Donate Shoes to Sudan Refugees

A biotech company and a grocery store in West Sacramento are collecting new or "gently used" shoes for refugees in Sudan as part of the Soles4Souls campaign. Affymetrix, a biotech company that produces a gene chip for medical diagnostics, and the Grocery Outlet have both set up drop boxes at their businesses.

Melissa Hotell, the Human Resources Manager at Affymetrix said the company wanted to do something positive for the world community. "There's an estimated 1.52 billion pairs of unwanted shoes in closets," said Hotell.

Shannon Flick, the owner/operator of the Grocery Outlet in West Sacramento said she thought the project was "a great cause and we wanted to help out."

The shoes will be sent to Nevada where the organization Soles4Souls will ship them to refugees in Sudan. The shoe drive in West Sacramento will continue through the month of June. New or gently used shoes can be dropped off at Affymetrix at 890 Embarcadero Drive in West Sacramento or at the Grocery Outlet at 845 Harbor Boulevard.