POTSDAM, NY - SUNY Potsdam invites everyone to recycle their gently worn shoes for people in need through the shoe charity Soles4Souls Inc. from Monday, Oct. 19, to Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Maxcy Hall Fitness Center and Student Government Association Office in the Barrington Student Union.
It is estimated that Americans have 1.5 billion pairs of unused shoes lying in their closets. Soles4Souls Inc. collects this abandoned footwear and gives away a pair every 17 seconds.
Molly Brennan, SUNY Potsdam women’s basketball assistant coach, is leading the effort.
“This idea was brought on by the fact that I have a bunch of old shoes that are still in pretty good shape, and I don't know what to do with them,” said Brennan. “And, of course, helping those who are in need is always something that makes me feel good.”
Those receiving the shoes range from victims of natural disasters to those living in extreme poverty.
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people around the country. The charity distributes these shoes free of charge to people in need, regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria.
Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away more than 5.5 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes. The shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States.
Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Visit www.giveshoes.org for more information about the organization.
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