Soles4Souls Inc -- News & Notes

We're Moving!!!

2010-08-30T13:07:00.000-05:00

We've experienced tremendous growth & changes over the past few months. One area of focus that has experienced improvement is our social media outlets. Our purpose in making these changes is to engage people in new ways, ultimately enabling more people to get involved with our mission.

With that said, we're excited to announce that the Soles4Souls Blog officially has a new home:

www.soles4souls.org/blog

From now on, our blog will be updated from the new site. We hope that you will continue to follow the new blog for updates & stories. You can subscribe to the blog by clicking here.

10,000 Shoes on your Doorstep

2010-08-19T09:11:00.000-05:00

Most people have closets cluttered with a far-too-many shoes. Now imagine having thousands of used shoes arrive at your house daily. That's what happens at one of the four Soles4Souls collection centers. Allan and I visited the Las Vegas warehouse to drop off some donated shoes people had given us It's amazing how often people see the Soles4Souls RV and motion us to pull over so they can give us used shoes from the trunk of their car! They always say, "I've had these shoes in my car for several weeks and didn't know what to do with them."

While dropping off the shoes, we met the friendly warehouse staff and volunteers who manage the thousands of shoes arriving on a daily basis. These guys are very efficient, so keep those shoes coming!
-Silvana

The Soles4Souls RV is making its way across the country as a part of The Great American Shoe Drive. Allen & Silvana Clark have been traveling the country distributing shoes & promoting our cause. Next week, the RV makes its way to Los Angeles to collect & distribute shoes.

Photo of the Week

2010-08-18T09:59:00.000-05:00

48 orphaned Haitian children and only one pair of plastic slippers. These are the feet of children who lost everything in the earthquake, including their home and their schoolhouse. Being able to put new shoes on their feet was an experience unlike any other.
It was hard to tell who was more blessed by the shoe distributions were doing: the children or the Soles4Souls team?

Motorcycle Boots & JellyPops

2010-08-17T10:43:00.001-05:00

     The Soles4Souls RV is making its way across the country as a part of The Great American Shoe Drive. Allen & Silvana Clark have been traveling the country distributing shoes & promoting our cause. This week, Silvana shares stories from last week's distribution in Salt Lake City:

     The statistics are horrifying. It is estimated that 50% of deaf women are sexually abused. The Sego Lily Center for the Abused Deaf (SLCAD) is an advocacy agency designed to meet the specific needs of Deaf, Deaf/Blind and Hard of Hearing victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Salt Lake City. Allan and I were privileged to be able to give this agency high-quality, new shoes. Last week, our distribution at the refugee center was very loud with people speaking in their native languages to each other from one side of the room to another.

Our distribution at the Community Center for the Deaf was a bit on the quite side as people used their hands to sign to each other. With the help of two interpreters we were able to fit men, women and children with shoes. Most of the participants are on SSI or live off Social Security checks and can seldom afford new shoes. We had the best time matching shoes to each person’s “personality”.

One woman entered the room with spunk and energy and left with a pair of sparkling pink shoes. Another woman had a job where she needed dressier shoes, but couldn’t afford to buy a pair. The slip-on shoes donated by JellyPops were perfect for her.

Then of course was the thrill of finding a pair of shoes for a deaf Harley Rider!

We were able to acquire the Olympic torch from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. It was neat to see peoples faces light up when they got to hold the torch.

Later, a staff member commented that she had never seen so many people smiling and walking with a new “spring” in their step.

“You gave our clients something special,” she told us. What more could we ask for?

-Silvana

Our Next Stop: Los Angeles

- Check out The Great American Shoe Drive Map for the complete list of the cities, dates & event details.
- Follow the tour on Twitter & use the hashtag #giveshoes when you make a donation.
- Tell us about your Great American Shoe Drive experience.

Wahoo Runs for Soles

2010-08-12T09:21:00.000-05:00

     We love to hear stories from people who are changing the world one pair at a time.  We recently worked with college athlete Erin Curran who wanted to combine her passion for running with making a difference in the world.

     Erin is a cross country and track & field athlete at Black Hills State University, where she will begin her sophomore year in the fall. This summer, Erin wanted to coordinate a road race in her community and thought that it would be fun to incorporate some sort of cause. She then decided that participants could have the option of donating shoes for people in need. Erin chose to make the race a shoe drive for Soles4Souls. Finally, Wahoo’s Shoes for the Sole Run/Walk event was born!

     We thought it would be interesting to ask Erin some questions about her shoe drive experience...

Q. When you first began organizing the 5k, why did you choose partner with Soles4Souls?
A. When I first began planning this event, I was unsure of where to send the shoes. I did some research and found that Soles4Souls distributed shoes around the world and also to places here in the United States. Their mission was inspiring and made me want to join the cause!

Q. How did you get other people involved in your shoe drive? How did you promote your event?
A. Promotion was a key factor. I put up flyers, advertised the event in the local newspaper, created a Wahoo Running Facebook page, and asked area businesses for their support. The community was very receptive, which was apparent by the number of shoes collected.

Q. What has been the best part about your experience?
A, The best part of my experience was seeing the event come to fruition. It was hard work putting on the road race. However, watching the participants truly enjoy themselves at the event, and looking on as the pile of shoes grew larger, more than made up for the stresses and work. The happiness I felt was overwhelming!

Q. Any interesting or funny stories that involve collecting shoes?
A. Participants who gave shoes at the Shoes for the Sole Run/Walk were put into a drawing to win one of two gift certificates to Lincoln Running Co., a specialty running store in Lincoln, Nebraska. When we called off one of the names, a tiny, five-year-old girl came to the front to claim her prize! It was adorable and refreshing to see that someone so small is making a difference in the world around her.

Q. If you could give one piece of advice for someone who was wanting to host a shoe drive, what would you say?
A. If a person is thinking about hosting a shoe drive I would tell them to take action! Don’t be afraid to ask for help or of a low success rate. After all, in the words of Soles4Souls, it’s about “changing the world one pair at a time.”

We're extremely grateful for people, like Erin, who are passionate about changing lives by giving the gift of shoes.

If you have a story from your shoe drive, share it with us!

Become a part of our Facebook family & share your story or email us.

Photo of the Week: D.C. kids get new shoes

2010-08-11T09:20:00.002-05:00

Sondra Clark, a spokesperson for Soles4Souls, headed up an all-day shoe distribution with the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington DC. Almost 3,500 children participated in creating inventions for fun and prizes.

Sondra, organized the distribution and helped the volunteers understand the noise level that all those kids create! During the event, we were able to give the gift of new shoes to many children as they head back to school.

Guest Post: Villicana Family Lemon Drop

2010-08-10T08:46:00.010-05:00

I'm a Mother, Wife, Photographer, Blogger, Activist and Big Time Dreamer.

I had the great fortune of starting a tradition of annual volunteerism with my

two young sons last summer.

A friend of mine was walking in the Susan G.Komen 3 Day Walk for Breast Cancer and I decided that I wanted to do something to help her meet her fundraising goal. My sons, then five and two years old, helped me collect unwanted goods from friends and family and in turn,sell them at a garage sale; with all proceeds going directly to the Susan G.Komen Organization.

(Please see attached links for details from last summers event.)

Super Summer Garage Sale!

Garage Sale Highlights

Due to the success of the garage sale and the immense gratitude evoked in both my children and myself, I knew that this act of selfless volunteerism had to become a yearly event.

When thinking about which charity we would donate to this year, Soles4Souls was quick to come to mind. I had seen a televised segment last year about the work that Soles4Souls was doing in Haiti soon after the earthquake and was greatly moved. I thought that the idea of collecting and redistributing shoes was both ideal and age appropriate for my young sons. While searching the Soles4Souls website for ways to volunteer, I found the link for the Lemons To Aid program.

A few clicks of the keyboard and a confirmation email later, we were signed up to host a Lemon Drop; the collaborative fund raising program created by Soles4Souls and Lemons To Aid.

The more that I thought about our family Lemon Drop, the more I knew that I wanted to push the boundaries and try to make the event bigger and better than the previous years event. I made a list of the items and qualities that I would have in an ideal Lemon Drop, and then I picked up the phone.

I called the director of our local Farmers Market in Vista California, and proposed the idea of holding the Lemon Drop at the market on a busy Saturday morning. I was thrilled to be told that "Yes!", not only was it possible but that it was welcomed.

I called for lemonade donations and within days, the call for donation was answered by

Hot Dog On A Stick, who will be providing us with all of the lemonade for our event.

Lemon Meringue Pies have been donated by the legendary Mama Kat's restaurant.

A local musician, Derek Evans, has decided to spend that Saturday morning alongside the rest of us, in a selfless collaboration for shoes and donations.

Promotional signs and flyers have been donated by Hutchins Printing.

Balloons, Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, the list goes on and on...

And the excitement grows.

In addition to the behind the scenes work that I have been doing to orchestrate this event, my boys have been working quite hard in preparation as well.

There is a lot more to come from us, plenty of surprises waiting to be revealed the morning of the Lemon Drop

Saturday August 21,2010.

Photo by: Corey Villicana

If you happen to be in the San Diego area that morning,

please come by for a slice of lemon pie and a quick hello.

If you don't happen to be anywhere near the San Diego area that morning, please keep us and our Lemon Drop in your thoughts.

Photo by: Corey Villicana

At the end of the day, I hope to set an example for my children that hard work and volunteerism do go noticed. I want them to be living proof that every single person's contribution does help and that the very smallest of children can make the very biggest of change.

Photo by: Corey Villicana

I truly believe that every human being has the capability to accomplish anything that they put their mind to.

Photo by: Corey Villicana

For more about Corey Villicana and her Life With Little Ones, please visit her blog: Life With Little Ones

Live from Salt Lake City

2010-08-06T11:21:00.000-05:00

The Soles4Souls RV is making its way across the country as a part of The Great American Shoe Drive. Allen & Silvana Clark have been traveling the country distrubuting shoes & promoting our cause. This week, they kicked off the 22 city tour in Salt Lake City:

The Great American Shoe Drive began with an around-the-world kick-off with a shoe distribution at the International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City. A long line of refugees waited patiently in line for new shoes.
In Salt Lake City, the IRC helps them rebuild their lives.

Our youngest (and cutest!) volunteer at the distribution was this nine year old girl. She and her mother fled from Eritrea (close to Ethiopia) and then lived for years in a resettlement camp before arriving in Salt Lake a month ago. I loved her enthusiasm and desire to learn English as she helped us set up the shoes. She arrived wearing stiff, ill-fitting shoes and was thrilled to get some sparkly pink sneakers that fit!

We also found the perfect pair of shoes for a gentleman with only one arm who has difficulty tying shoes. Even though we didn't speak the same language as the refugees, their universal smiles told us how happy they were to get new shoes.

- Silvana

Stay Tuned! We will continue to share stories from The Great American Shoe Drive as they make their way through 22 cities to impact thousands of lives.
Follow the Soles4Souls RV Tour on twitter for updates about The Great American Shoe Drive and where the RV is heading next.

What makes America great?

2010-08-05T09:44:00.001-05:00

   You could probably formulate 1,000 different responses to this question. Here at Soles4Souls, we are frequently reminded of one attribute that makes America great...Generosity.

   Time and time again we've seen Americans step up and act generously to meet a need. Just this year, we've had major natural disasters both internationally and locally. In both cases, people have risen to the occasion. We are constantly inspired by stories of people who have used their abilities and resources to impact the lives of others.

   With that said, we're excited to announce our partnership with Footwear News to give you the opportunity to show your generosity once again...

106 days. 22 cities. 6,000 miles. Thousands of lives changed.

The Great American Shoe Drive is a cross-country tour that lets you to meet the needs of people in your community. All of the shoes that are donated are redistributed locally.

We kicked off the drive this week in Salt Lake City at the Outdoor Retailer Show where we will be collecting gently used shoes. The shoes will then be distributed to the Sego Lily Center for the Abused Deaf.

Next week we're headed to Las Vegas to collect shoes WSA Show & FN Platform Show.

Want more info?

What are some other things that make America great?

100,000 Pairs to Pakistan

2010-08-04T13:34:00.000-05:00

Pakistan is a nation on the brink of several types of disaster. Monsoon rains have devastated its troubled northwest region near Peshawar, causing major flooding.

Here are some facts about the severity of the damage:

The flood has taken the lives of over 1,500 people
Over 1 Million people have been displaced from their homes
The U.N. Children’s Fund estimates that 100,000 children are suddenly at risk of infection of cholera and gastro diseases, largely preventable with a decent pair of shoes.

We believe that this disaster becomes a call to action. Soles4Souls is dedicated to sending 100,000 pairs of new and gently worn shoes to Pakistan, but we need your help to make this happen.

How Can You Help?

Donate shoes - Find a drop off location near you or host a shoe drive for those affected in Pakistan.
Donate Funds - We need monetary donations to help ship and distribute the shoes to those in Pakistan who need them most. For every $1 you donate, we will be able to provide a person with a pair of shoes.
Spread the word - Tell your friends how to get involved. Whether they are from your church, school, neighborhood or Facebook.

Soles4Souls has always provided aid where it is needed, regardless of political, religious, ethnic or any other criteria. Will you help us reach out to our Pakistani friends and show them that we care about their families?

Photo of the Week

2010-08-03T15:42:00.000-05:00

We visited an orphanage on one of our recent Haiti trips. Children who had lost practically everything were given a new pair of shoes. As we walked through the orphanage, this little boy's smile captivated us.

Photo of the Week

2010-07-28T11:31:00.000-05:00

On July 7th, a Soles4Souls team of 14 volunteers and staff traveled to Port-au-Prince Haiti to distribute shoes to almost 2,000 children and adults living in extremely difficult circumstances since the earthquake in January. When time allowed, we washed the children's feet as a way to say "we care about you."

Highlights from Barefoot Open House

2010-07-23T09:18:00.000-05:00

We had a great turnout at our Barefoot Open House this week! We're thankful for all of our partners and supporters who took time to stop by and check out our new place. Here are a few photos from the event.

Trevett McCandliss from Footwear Plus Magazine with Soles4Souls employees Elizabeth and Isabelle. Trevett designed the shoe that was featured on the cover of our Five Year Anniversary Publication.

Bethani Hemphill adds another pin to our map of shoe distribution locations. She and Shaun Daugherty recently returned from a distribution trip in American Samoa.

Founder, Wayne Elsey entertains our partners from Cole Haan

Thanks to Barefoot Wine for sponsoring the event and thanks to everyone who stopped by to see our new headquarters!

Letters from Haiti

2010-07-16T08:49:00.000-05:00

Dear friends,
     The goal of my letter is to thank you for the shoes that you brought for us.
     I want to say thank you for the shoes that you brought for us and for helping measure us for the shoes. The shoes are magnificent, marvelous, and we are proud of you. You gave us shoes and you brought them all the way here. It is for that, that we wish to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you again for all you have done. I cannot find the words I must use to thank you.
   I hope you have a good year.
                             Your friend,

Josué

Subject: A thank you

From: Samuel

To: My friends

Very dear friends,

     Hello. Today I write you just to thank you for your good deeds toward me.
     My friends, I thank you a lot for having thought of me; even if I spend all year thanking you, it would not be sufficient to repay you. So I can only say thank you and thank you.
     And thanks be to God. That is all.

These are just a couple of the letters we received. The children were so grateful for the shoes and our lives were forever impacted by their stories, smiles, and love.

Will you join us in changing the world one pair at a time?

Want to see more pictures from our Haiti distribution or get more information about ways to help?

Poverty, Homelessness, & Hope - A Recap from Our Haiti Distribution Trip

2010-07-14T15:03:00.000-05:00

Every day I receive questions about the Soles4Souls distribution trips and impact they have on my life. The emotions from each trip are different, personal, and, at times, hard to express.

My job as Experiential Manager at Soles4Souls is to plan distribution trips all over the world for volunteers to join our team and help those in need. I have traveled on numerous mission/humanitarian trips and anyone that has traveled on a mission trip understands the emotional impact each trip has on your life. My job is to allow others to experience a truly indescribable experience. It is something that one has to see first-hand to ultimately understand the feelings and emotions.

As we flew back from Haiti on Sunday, I listened to our volunteers share their experiences with others on our plane. I started to cry. All 14 individuals on our team represented different states of America including: California, Tennessee, Alabama, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Texas. Strangers became family and formed friendships that will last forever. I listened to our volunteers tell unique stories of individual children receiving shoes. In Haitian schools, children are required to wear a uniform and shoes. We saw a little girl that had two right shoes on, another with two different shoes, and numerous pair with shoes that were entirely too small. Most of the shoes were so old that they were falling apart. These children were so thankful and could not believe they were getting NEW SHOES!

I’ve seen poverty all over the world and it is very easy to feel hopeless even while striving to make a difference. I’ve seen the rubble, homelessness, and starvation. As I heard the volunteers share I was reminded of HOPE. I listened and remembered the children’s faces in their stories. From this trip I realized that as we give the gift of shoes, these children give us much more. Our participants’ lives are forever changed from a simple act of kindness.

I encourage you to join Soles4Souls in our mission to improve the lives of children around the world by providing shoes, a luxury you and I take for granted. Click Here for more information on future distribution trips and other ways for you to get involved.

S4S + Bebe = $25 OFF

2010-07-14T09:21:00.002-05:00

It's a simple equation. Soles4Souls is partnering with Bebe to offer a spectacular deal while giving you the opportunity to help others.

Join us on July 16th from 5-8pm at Bebe in Green Hills Mall in

Nashville, TN for an evening of shopping

benefiting our newest division, Clothes4Souls.

Here is what you need to do. Bring in a pair of used jeans and Bebe will return the favor by giving you $25 OFF a new pair of jeans!

Join us for a night of fun and shopping & stay tuned for future partnerships that will help us to continue to change the world one pair at a time!

This event is all part of a nationwide partnership that begins July 15th and lasts until July 31st!

Two Men Inspired to Make a Difference

2010-07-09T09:25:00.003-05:00

Mete Pete Johnson and Chris Lockhart. These two men have discovered a passion for helping others by using the resources provided to them by Soles4Souls and their connection with the Florida based organization called REHOPE.

[ME]: What inspired you to travel to Colombia to give shoes to children in need?

[Chris and Pete]: A long time friend had been working with kids she had taken off the streets of Bogota, or would have soon ended up there. Knowing this, and being at a point in our lives where we felt like it was time to give back to others, created our desire to help the kids.

[ME]: Did you travel with an organization or was this something that you chose to do on your own?

[Chris and Pete]: We started out on our own and over time we connected with REHOPE, who we are currently working with. REHOPE has all the groundwork in place to make a difference but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done and money to be raised.

[ME]: How long were you in Colombia?

[Chris and Pete]: We have made several different trips, each trip being only a few days long. We have so far spent 26 total days in Columbia and have carried in over 1,200 lbs of shoes and clothing.

[ME]: How many pairs of shoes did you give away?

[Chris and Pete]: Approximately 300 pairs so far. We did not start working with Soles4Souls until the last 100 pairs, but with the quality of the shoes we received, and ease of working with Soles4Souls we wish we had started the partnership earlier. We hope to deliver many more pairs in the future as we develop more outlets in Bogota, and as the orphanages we are currently working with grow.

[ME]: How did you select the children that you give shoes to?

[Chris and Pete]: REHOPE has several foundations and orphanages they work with that have children in need. They also work with community leaders and church pastors to reach out to families that are less fortunate.

[ME]: How do you think that the people you gave shoes to will be affected by your donation?

[Chris and Pete]: Most of the children did not have quality shoes and some had no shoes at all. With shoes no longer being a pressing need, the foundations we are working with in turn can focus on other needs such as food and shelter. More importantly, by giving the children shoes an instant bond is created. The hope and feeling that someone cares for them long outlasts the pair of shoes.

[ME]: What was the most moving experience of the trip?

[Chris and Pete]: We enjoyed seeing the smiles on the kid’s faces. They were truly impressed that we would come from North America to bring them shoes. These kids get little attention so being given shoes was a great blessing to them.

[ME]: What did you gain personally from going on this trip?

[Chris and Pete]: Lifelong friendships and bonds are made with each trip we make. The heartfelt gratitude and appreciation we receive is very rewarding. It is nice to know that something that cost us so little can mean so much to others. Also, it is hard to convey – but there is a perspective that one comes away with that is invaluable. There was a true joy experienced in the trip that one has to witness on their own.

[ME]: Would you consider going on another trip?

[Chris and Pete]: Absolutely! We will be returning to Columbia in August, and plan on visiting as much as our schedule and resources allow. We are excited that Soles4Souls is branching out to distribute clothing in the future as well.

[ME]: Will you encourage others to go on trips, either with SoleSoles4Soulsouls or on their own?

[Chris and Pete]: Yes. We feel we can do more by spreading the word about Soles4Souls, and REHOPE within the flight department at FedEx. Many pilots and dispatchers have already given donations or helped to carry in supplies. There are many opportunities that go beyond shoes, yet shoes are very much needed. It is our goal to reach out to other airline employees, provide information, and give them the opportunity to give back, as well as experience the joy that we have experienced.

More Information About the Two Men and REHOPE

Pete Johnson worked in the transportation industry for many years, giving him the opportunity to travel. He has been to many destinations, yet was looking for someplace new to go while helping others at the same time. Traveling to Bogota was a stark contrast to what would be considered more popular destinations, yet in many ways was incredibly much more fun and fulfilling. He has discovered an excellent way to reach those in need, while having a great time. At the same time being very much appreciated by the recipients of the shoes and clothing we have brought those in need. It takes little in a third world county to make a difference.

Chris Lockhart feels called to do more to help others based off of events that have happened in his life. Inspired by his friend, Pete Johnson, and the work he was doing in Bogota, Chris gained the courage to leave his comfort zone and go out to try and make a difference in the world. Having travel benefits because of his job, he was fully capable of fulfilling his calling to help others. And with a passion for photography, he has captured moments that he hopes will show others the many needs in the world and like him, they too will be inspired.

REHOPE was started based off of the vision of helping children in Colombia. It all started in December 2006 when members from the church of Abatel located in Tampa, Florida and FedEx employees collected food, clothing and money for these children in need. We began by periodically sending donations to programs that serve children in several countries. Our vision is to impact the lives of 400 neglected children and young adults that are homeless, abandoned in the streets and living in forgotten environments by providing them with food, education, health care, guidance, love and a home in the outskirts of Bogotá Colombia. Please see http://rehopefoundation.org/ or e-mail pete.johnson72@yahoo.com for more information.

Be Inspired

2010-07-07T08:38:00.001-05:00

As a group from Soles4Souls boards their plane to Haiti today, they all have different intentions. Some are going for the first time and looking to gain a first-hand account of Haiti’s situation, some are going to capture the roller coaster of emotions in Haiti on film, some are going to simply help others, but all in all, everyone is going to help rebuild the spirits of the people in this destructed country by providing them with shoes. For Katie, who is in charge of planning all of the Soles4Souls trips, her hope is that people will truly see what a pair of shoes can do for someone’s life. We will be keeping you all updated about their trip via our twitter @Soles4Souls and have hopes that in some way, you will be touched by what this group of people are doing. Maybe, just maybe, you too will want to join Soles4Souls on a life-changing trip.

Kid's Prove That Age Doesn't Matter When Helping Others

2010-07-06T11:06:00.002-05:00

Students at Long Valley Middle School in Long Valley, New Jersey have collected over 1,500 pairs of shoes in the past year. Awesome! That is 1,500 people who might avoid contracting deadly diseases, who might have the possibility of getting a job, who might now be able to attend school, and whose lives might now be saved.

Our Guide to the Best 4th of July Weekend

2010-07-02T08:36:00.014-05:00

The Soles4Souls guide to having a great 4th of July weekend:

Shop: Remember that you can donate $1 when you shop at Finish Line and receive 30% off at Puma when you take in a pair of shoes to donate to Soles4Souls.

Be Outdoors: Play a game of flag football with the family. Or horseshoes. And 4 Square is always a fun playground favorite to play with the little ones.

Snap Photos: If your outside digging your toes in the sand or running your feet through the grass, snap a photo. We love seeing our fans go barefoot to honor those who don't have shoes.

Eat Delicious Food: Get creative when grilling out this weekend. Serve your hamburger like this:

designed by Olle Hemmendorff of Sweden

or if you want to go for something a tad more simple, how about foot long hot dogs. And every burger needs to be complimented with fries, so how about these Shoe-String Fries. And for dessert test out this recipe for Shoestring Potato Cookies

1 (12-ounce) package butterscotch flavored chips

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

4 ounces shoestring potatoes (approximately 1/2 of a 9-ounce can)

1 cup raisins

1. Melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.

2. Meanwhile place shoestring potatoes in a mixing bowl. Pour butterscotch chip mixture over shoestring potatoes. Add raisins. Mix gently until combined. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto wax paper. Chill until firm. Makes 20 cookies.

Turn Up the Music: Purchase AJ Jansens' single, Bars, Scars, and Old Guitars. All proceeds go to Soles4Souls. Check out the song Erasable by The Carter Twins, as they are huge supporters of Soles4Souls.

Relax: Everyone should take great care of their feet. Treat yourself to a foot massage.

And most importantly, follow @WayneElsey on Twitter

USA Today Releases Feature Story on Soles4Souls

2010-06-30T08:55:00.009-05:00

For one of their June 2010 feature stories, USA Today was inspired by Soles4Souls and released an 8 page feature entitled, "Steps to Take for Healthy Feet." With tips on how to care for your feet in order to live a healthy and active life as well as how to choose the proper footwear, the most compelling story is seen in the article written about Soles4Souls. Sharing the harsh reality that, "every 15 seconds, a child dies from some disease that can be prevented with proper shoes," the article poses the question, "what if every American donated one pair of shoes?" There are millions of pairs of shoes sitting in American's closets when instead, they could be on the feet of someone who needs them to survive. Do your part in helping others by simply donating one pair of shoes. See pdf of article: here.

Courtesy of Media Planet (http://doc.mediaplanet.com/all_projects/5088.pdf)

A Birthday for Kevin. #175?

2010-06-29T13:58:00.004-05:00

As the story goes...when the executive team is craving cake, that means Kevin will be having a birthday. And so the tradition continues...

Sweet Sixteen Donation

2010-06-28T13:26:00.006-05:00

Some people envision their sweet sixteen birthday and think of presents, a big party, a huge cake, and lots of friends. But Phoebe did something much bigger than all of this; she helped to improve people’s live in more ways than one could ever imagine. For her sixteenth birthday she collected shoes from all of her friends and donated them to Soles4Souls. So, when people ask her what she got for her birthday, she can say that she got shoes… but gave them away, ultimately receiving the gift of becoming an even better person.

Photos of the Week

2010-06-25T09:43:00.013-05:00

Soles4Souls around the U.S.: photos from the week.
Proof that you can make a difference in the lives of others no matter how old you are or where you live. Find a Soles4Souls donation location near you today!

Alexandria, VA
A 5th grader at Burgundy Farm County Day School collected over 50 pairs of shoes from her classmates and donated them to Soles4Souls at the Comfort One Shoes location in her town. This just goes to show that you can make a big impact, no matter how old you are.

Noblesville, IN
Motivated to collect shoes for Vacation Bible School, it only took this small group of people a couple of hours to collect 106 pairs of shoes!

West Chester, OH
Back in October, this group stood outside in the wind and bitter cold and still managed to raise 1,300 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls. Not even a year later, they have collected 7,000 pairs of shoes and are getting ready to ship them.

A Chance to Win $1,000 by Giving Away Just ONE Pair of Shoes

2010-06-25T08:24:00.012-05:00

Bring hope to a child living in poverty by donating just one pair of shoes. Soccerpro.com is giving you the chance to win $1,000 in cash! All you have to do is take a picture of a gently worn pair of shoes and upload it to Soccerpro.com's facebook wall and then donate them! Donating them is easy; Just visit a Soles4Souls donation location near you or mail your donation to Soccerpro.com:

Shoes for Life
2525 Bernadette Drive
Columbia, MO 65203

(Shipping labels are available. Email info@soccerpro.com)

So, don't delay! When else can you donate one pair of shoes and be eligible to win $1,000? For more information, check out their facebook page!

Soles4Souls is Going For a Hole-In-One With First Annual Golf Tournament

2010-06-24T08:32:00.018-05:00

Soles4Souls is proud to announce their First Annual Golf Tournament at The Hermitage Golf Course on The President’s Reserve, Monday, October 18^th, 2010 starting at 12:30pm. Come and support this incredible charity while enjoying 18 holes of golf on one of the most prestigious courses in America, a fabulous meal and many incredible prizes! There will also be golfing contests and an auction to raise additional funds to support the billions of people in the world that live without shoes. For every $1 that Soles4Souls receives, 1 pair of shoes will be given to someone in need.

For those of you who are not avid golfers, there are sponsor packages available just for you! These packages range from being a Tournament Title Sponsor, to a Hole Sponsor, or to a Golf Cart Sponsor, and many options in between. Soles4Souls is also taking donations for the auction following the golf outing. All donations are tax deductible – that includes playing, sponsoring and donating!

Limited space is available, so please sign-up today to support this incredible cause!
View and Print the Sign Up Forms:
Team Sign Up
Sponsorship Form
For more information please contact Soles4Souls by phone at 615-391-5723 or email Mehgan Heaton at mehganh@giveshoes.org .

Soles4Souls Tattoo? Yes!

2010-06-23T12:10:00.004-05:00

We have a new fashion trend in the office today: tattoos... well, adhesive tattoos anyway. What makes them special? The Soles4Souls logo, of course! And I can't get over the detailed designs that spruce up the look! I think all of us in the office (the girls at least) are secretly dying to get our hands on one of these tattoos for ourselves.

The World Cup

2010-06-23T09:15:00.015-05:00

Yells are resonating from the other room followed by, "How could he miss that?" My automatic assumption is that the United States missed a goal... and from the looks on their faces when I walked by, I think my assumption is correct. Luckily though, through all of the missed goals and bad calls, the USA prevailed! To be honest, I have never been much of a soccer fan and the World Cup is not something I would typically stick around to watch (please don't hate me). But the World Cup has got me thinking... what would it be like for a soccer player to have to play in the World Cup without shoes on?

Just think, on average...

A professional soccer player kicks the ball at an average of 80 mph and the fastest known kick was 11 mph.

To have more control, they sometimes must use the laces of their shoes.

The sprinting and hard-cutting actions of soccer players puts a large amount of stress on their feet.

Soccer balls are made out of rubber and leather

Player's heels are pounded regularly into the ground and this creates fatigue and trauma to the joints of the feet, legs and back.

Soccer players run 5-8 miles per game.

Foot and ankle injuries are common in soccer, even when players are wearing supportive shoes.

So, can you imagine playing a 90 minute soccer game without shoes on? Neither can I.

And let's remember all of the people living in Africa (and all of the other countries) without shoes!

undeSERVEd: Serve Others

2010-06-21T10:15:00.019-05:00

If it were not for volunteers, Soles4Souls would not be possible. We look to volunteers to join us through just about every endeavor that our company faces: collecting, donating, organizing, and giving away shoes, going on trips to Haiti, working our events, and so much more. So, over the past few weeks when I have walked by the conference room to see groups of teenagers and adults gathering and eating lunch together, I knew exactly what they were here for. Wearing t-shirts to represent their organizations, it was clear that they were here volunteering their time to help us help others. So, working in the warehouse yesterday was a wonderful group wearing t-shirts that read, "Undeserved." I think that word speaks wonders for us all and is so true. Here are some pictures of the group:

If you are looking for a way to get involved, please join us. We would love to have you! You can visit our website for any information on how to help.

Puma!

2010-06-21T09:23:00.005-05:00

Looking for a way to help others? In the market for new shoes? Well, now you can do both at one time. Happening now through July 11 at Puma retail stores you can take in a pair of used shoes (any brand or style) and recieve 30% off of a brand new pair of Puma's shoes (15% off at outlet stores). All of the used shoes that Puma collects will go straight to us and we will turn around and give them to people all over the world who need them. How cool is that? So, head over to Puma's website and find a store near you so that you can join us, Soles4Souls, in changing the world and saving lives, one pair at a time.

Travel with Soles4Souls “Walk in THEIR shoes”

2010-06-04T11:47:00.003-05:00

By Katie Lentile

As the experiential manager of Soles4Souls, I coordinate and lead international distribution trips that allow others to travel with Soles4Souls and experience what it’s like to give the gift of shoes to those in need. My emotions from the experiences on these trips are indescribable. We see the children on commercials and we hear about their stories, but meeting them and “walking in their shoes” truly has changed my life.

Last week our team traveled to Haiti and distributed shoes to orphanages. As we sat washing the children’s feet, sizing and lacing their shoes, I realized the impact the simple gift of shoes has on their lives. These children are fighting for survival and desperate for hope. Many children in Haiti live on the street and have never owned a pair of shoes. Their frowns turned to smiles, their tears to laughter, because through the tangible product of a shoe they realized that someone cared. The millions of people who donated shoes were represented in our team’s faces and they saw comfort and love. These children long for someone to hold them, play with them, and comfort them.

You now have the opportunity to become that person. Your hug can be their hope. Your smile can be their comfort. If you want to make a difference, I invite you to join me and “walk in their shoes.” See firsthand the struggles and poverty they face each day, and give them a gift that provides safety and security as they step out into a new tomorrow. You will impact their life and I am certain your's will forever be changed.

The following link will direct you to Soles4Souls trip information:
http://www.soles4souls.org/get_involved/travel/index.html

How Shoes Can Change a Life

2010-06-03T15:12:00.001-05:00

As Americans (and as women) we love our shoes. We spend hours on the weekends scouring for the right pare of pumps for that perfect little dress. When we get them home, we wear them once and then toss them to the back of our closets until the next event. I am guilty of this very thing myself. In fact, before I started working at my current job, I was constantly concerned that I didn’t have enough shoes. I knew I had plenty of pairs that weren’t ‘in’ anymore, but I didn’t think that my ‘unworn’ shoes could help change someone’s life.

That is until I started working for an organization called Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity dedicated to providing a free pair of shoes to people in need. They offer a solution to the growing need for footwear by refurbishing our ‘gently’ worn shoes and giving them to people who are less fortunate. We receive emails and letters all the time from struggling mothers who felt unattractive and alone until they receive a pair of shoes at a distribution and it changes their whole outlook on life.

Our Founder Wayne Elsey just returned last Thursday from a shoe-distribution trip to Haiti, and what he saw there was astonishing:

Toddlers roaming the streets in the midst of rubble and raw sewage without supervision, food, clothing, or shoes.

People in the tent cities in Port-Au-Prince were without running water or electricity, not knowing where their next meal will come from—children can’t go to school or get clean clothes.

Parents are weak from giving their children any spare scraps of food they get to their children.

People are literally starving to death on the side of the streets.

He spent a day with the children at a local orphanage in Port-Au-Prince, and as he reached down to fit these tiny feet with their only pair of shoes, he realized they were also reaching for his hands, grabbing his cheeks, crawling on his lap. So he took the time to hold each one of them, listen to their stories (even if he couldn’t make out their broken Creole), and show them that they mattered. The children left that day with more than just a pair of shoes, they left with the HOPE of a brighter tomorrow.

These horrific circumstances are not unique to Haiti; with more than 300 million children in the world who don’t own a single pair of shoes.Today is the start of Soles4Souls' 3rd Annual National Barefoot Week. From June 1-7 we are encouraging people like you to help us raise awareness for this international crisis by participating in the week in some small way (even with the hustle and bustle of marriage and motherhood).

Below are some simple ways I’m encouraging my friends to get involved. Your little acts can help us change the world one pair at a time.

•Go barefoot for a day - or even just an afternoon and blog about the experience, or talk about it with friends
•Encourage your kids or coworkers to designate a day to go barefoot
•Raise funds for Soles4Souls through a designated fundraiser page
•Clean out your closet and drop off your unworn shoes at an official drop off location
•Host a shoe drive at your local school, day care, church, work place, etc.
•If you’re a blogger, use your blog to post pictures of your family or office going barefoot.
•Change your twitter or facebook avatar to your barefoot and let your friends know that June 1-7 is National Barefoot Week

New Photos from Haiti

2010-06-02T15:09:00.003-05:00

Our team at Soles4Souls, the shoe charity, just returned from Haiti last week. The images they collected from the trip heart breaking, but there is still hope.

Thoughts from Haiti by Wayne Elsey

2010-05-28T08:10:00.001-05:00

I just returned from a week-long trip to Haiti to ensure that our shoe distributions are progressing the way they should. And I have to say that I'm completely overwhelmed, disgusted and angry at what I found.

It's not about the shoes -- they are being delivered just fine: safely, securely and in small enough doses to get on the feet of people who really need them. I am grateful to our many partners on the ground who are helping us in that regard.

But I am extremely angry because I saw total chaos and a complete lack of vision to help the survivors, even as they lay dying of disease and starvation in horrible conditions.

You may have heard of these TENT CITIES -- hodgepodge neighborhoods thrown up hastily and lashed together with tarps, twine and rope. They are completely devoid of HOPE. Very few residents know where their next meal is coming from. Children can't go to school or get clothes or clean water. Parents are weak from starvation because they give any scraps of food to their children. The UN and local government seems to be holding out for a miracle rather than putting any concrete plan in place.

There are even confirmed stories of child predators entering the country and posing as relief workers. When I heard that, I shook my head and said, "No, that's not right. That couldn't be." But I was wrong, and I cried. I've never heard of such pure evil in my life.

The first night we were there a riot broke out because residents of the Tent "Atrocity" were showing their frustration. Our team was uncomfortable and we certainly didn't understand the real conditions until we spent a few days there, speaking with parents, children, teachers, missionaries, volunteers... the list goes on but the story is the same: Haiti's real disaster wasn't just on January 12 -- it's happening right now and will continue to get worse throughout the hurricane season, which starts Tuesday, June 1.

Friends, I have also read the news reports and saw the pictures of the devastation in Haiti. I know that after awhile you can't help but become NUMB to just how bad it is. It's much easier for us to focus on other things, like the end of the school year or our busy work schedules. But I've never seen -- or smelled -- anything like what I witnessed in Haiti. I threw up a few times because of the utter despair and horrific stench of the place.

My heart broke each time a beautiful child held onto my hand. They are so incredibly precious, and they don't understand that their country is shattered. They know a real bad thing has happened, but then their childlike sweetness takes hold and they laugh, and run, and skip. And my heart breaks, because they have no future they way things stand right now.

We are going to change that. I cannot sit by and do nothing. All of us lead a comfortable life, and we know where our next thousands meals are coming from. How can I sit here on my couch, flip through these photos, and not do everything I can?

This means a concrete, sustainable plan of action. We never intended to drop off a million pairs of shoes and say "Okay, best of luck to ya'll." We've always been very careful to be sustainable. That word gets thrown around a LOT in the non-profit world, but it's true. We need a SUSTAINABLE plan.

Haitians need HOUSING. They need JOBS. They need EDUCATION. They need micro-enterprise SOLUTIONS. They need access to CLEAN WATER, FOOD and MEDICAL CARE. Yes, they need SHOES and CLOTHING. But most of all, they need HOPE!

However, we can't put a giant HOPE band-aid on the country with good intentions... Haitians will step up and make it happen if we help eliminate the barriers that stand in their way. This might mean funding small businesses or creating manufacturing opportunities. It certainly means secure housing, education and medical care. If we help Haitians help themselves in ways that will create their own economic benefits, we will see incredible things happen -- and Haitians will be the ones to pay it forward.

In this way, we can help change the trajectory. See, we're not just providing shoes, we're providing a bridge of access into powerful American industries. Maybe you're a CEO like me and you're reading this and thinking -- "I can do something more...I can do something SUSTAINABLE."

People, the time is NOW. There is no yesterday, and tomorrow won't come. TODAY is all we have.

Will you stand with us? Will you help us be the bridge and create a sustainable future for these beautiful people?

We will be unfolding our plan in the coming weeks. I hope you'll consider joining us during our next trip to this shattered country. We really can help change course of a country's destiny and steer it back from the brink of hell.

Yes, I have HOPE... and I have a plan. But I'm going to need your help.

Announcing the 'One Walk' With Dash

2010-05-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

TWENTY-YEAR-OLD TO WALK 1,800 MILES UP EAST COAST BAREFOOT FOR SOLES4SOULS®, THE SHOE CHARITY, TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR MILLIONS WORLDWIDE WITHOUT SHOES

Nashville, TN –May 17, 2010 –Soles4Souls®, the international shoe charity, announced Monday that 20-year-old Dash Alsup will leave his shoes at home for the second time in two years to walk thousands of miles barefoot to raise awareness for the 300 million children worldwide who do not own shoes. Soles4Souls is launching the ‘One Walk,’ which has Alsup beginning in Homestead, FL on May 15 and will continue north along Route 1 until he reaches New Brunswick, Canada in September. The total trek will be 1,860 miles barefoot.

Alsup walked across the US once before for Soles4Souls in 2008 beginning in Seattle, Washington and ending in Jacksonville, Florida. Alsup will walk on average 18 miles per day and sleep in a pup tent at night. Soles4Souls will also host shoe distributions in several cities Alsup will be walking through in support of his efforts. The general public can get involved and walk with Dash by donating $1 per mile they would like to join him.

“We were stunned when Dash called us up and said he wanted to once again take off his shoes and walk hundreds of miles for our organization,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “It is exciting that a young man like Dash understands the overwhelming need for proper footwear and wants to give a voice to the millions of children worldwide who do not have one.”

Soles4Souls has donated more than 8.5 million pairs of shoes worldwide, and most recently committed more than 1.3 million pairs to the victims of the Haitian earthquake. For more information on Dash’s ‘One Walk’ or how to get involved, visit www.soles4soulsfundraising.org/dash

###

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 8.5 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

Luke Perry & Soles4Souls Helping Nashville Flood Victims

2010-05-17T11:56:00.005-05:00

We hosted a 5 hour distribution for the Nashville Flood victims on Friday. Our friend Actor Luke Perry came out and helped us distribute water, shoes,and food in the pouring rain and lightening. We distributed more than 1 million bottles of water and Gatorade, along with sandals, socks, food and clothing to those in need. Check out some pictures from the distribution below.

Another Day...Another Shoe

2010-05-05T09:03:00.003-05:00

Our partner Ryan collected more than 60 pairs of shoes at his shoe drive in April. He sent us this picture to show the shoes lined up in his living room. Thanks, Ryan. You rock!

Birthday Shoes!

2010-04-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

This 9 year old decided to ask her friends to donate shoes in lieu of gifts for her 9th birthday. She collected 55 pairs of shoes for us as her gift to people in need. It's never too early or late to start learning the importance of giving back.

Boys get Soccer Cleats at South Africa Soccer Camp

2010-04-13T09:44:00.003-05:00

The Boys in the picture attended a soccer camp in South Africa two weeks ago, and were given their own cleats to play in. The boys didn't have uniforms or shoes to wear and were over the moon to recieve the appropriate footwear to help them play 'football'!

5 Year Old Hannah Gives Her Shoes for Barefoot4Haiti

2010-04-06T09:40:00.002-05:00

Below is an email we recieved from a participant of the Barefoot4Haiti program through their local church. A girl named Hannah's mom shares her 5 year old daughters experience with giving her shoes to someone less fortunate.

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to share the impact this morning's invitation to share our shoes made on Hannah. It was hard for her because she was wearing her favorite white shoes...the ones that match her new Easter dress, but she said she decided to give her shoes because she trusted God to make sure she had shoes to wear next Sunday. She wanted to tell all her friends and have them give their shoes too, so she made this flyer (attached) and walked barefoot to 20 houses to give them the note. She told the people that she would be back to collect the shoes today or tomorrow to give them time to look in their closets.

I'm very proud of her and her heart for sharing. Thanks for inviting her (and all of us) into this work that God is doing.

Blessings,
Sheryl

P.S.
The girls in the note live near the orphanage where my friend Dave Beck worked after the earthquake. He sent this picture. When I told Hannah Dave was going there, she made grape Kool-aid and went door to door with a wagon. Even though it was very cold outside, people bought it and she raised a little more than $5 that we sent by Paypal to the orphanage for their feeding program.

Win A One-of-a-Kind Pair of Birkenstock Shoes, with Proceeds Going to Soles4Souls!

2010-03-31T14:20:00.002-05:00

How To Bid
Click on the images above and then submit a comment on our blog with your bid. The starting bid is $200. You’ll be able to see any previous bids by scrolling through the prior comments.

Don’t forget to enter your email address so we can contact you if you have the winning bid!

The submitter of largest bid entered on each shoe's respective page on our blog by 11.59pm PDT on April 4 2010 will win the shoes. The “largest bid” will be decided solely by Birkenstock USA, LP and the decision will be final. If we cannot contact the submitter of the winning bid after 30 days, the next highest submitted bid will win the shoes.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to Birkenstock USA, LP and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used to contact you in the event that your bid is successful.

Say Hello to Kensleigh and Christa!

2010-03-24T09:21:00.002-05:00

These three year olds collected more than 800 pairs of shoes for us! They are an inspiration to preschoolers

Students collect more than 1,000 Pairs!

2010-03-19T08:35:00.001-05:00

Check out this cute upbeat video made by students at Severn who collected more than 1,000 pairs of shoes for us. Thanks guys! You're awesome!

Sport Chalet Collects 950,000 Shoes in Two Weeks!

2010-02-04T13:24:00.000-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL RETAILER SPORT CHALET COLLECTS NEARLY
ONE MILLION PAIRS OF SHOES IN TWO WEEKS FOR SOLES4SOULS® HAITI RELIEF EFFORT

February 4, 2010 – (Nashville, TN/ La Canada, CA) Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity dedicated to providing shoes to people in need, is delighted to announce that Sport Chalet has collected more than 950,000 pairs of shoes for Haiti Relief in just two weeks! From January 14 through January 31, 2010, new and gently worn shoes were dropped off by the general public at all 55 Sport Chalet locations.
"Our customers are the best," said Craig Levra, Chairman and CEO of Sport Chalet. "They have proven, in an overwhelming fashion, that they are truly generous people who gave from their hearts. We had children, communities, schools, businesses and local organizations all rallying to donate their new and gently worn shoes. Their outpouring of support for the besieged residents of Haiti is unbelievable, and we are very grateful that we could help."
Soles4Souls had originally set a national goal to collect 250,000 pairs of shoes and Sport Chalet set theirs at 55,000 pairs. After the first three days, Sport Chalet had collected nearly 70,000 pairs and therefore increased their personal goal to 250,000 pairs while Soles4Souls increased their national goal to 1.3 million.
"We are simply floored by the overwhelming support that our partners at Sport Chalet have received,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “Their donations will be used to bring hope to the people of Haiti as they struggle to rebuild their lives. We are proud of the public for stepping up to help those less fortunate.”
About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. 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 over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently donating one pair every 9 seconds.) 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. Anyone can join our cause, and we need your help. Visit www.giveshoes.org for more information.
Contact:
Elizabeth Kirk, Soles4Souls, 615-391-5723, elizabethk@giveshoes.org

Finish Line Announces Nationwide Shoe Drive to Benefit Haitian Relief Efforts

2010-01-22T12:55:00.000-06:00

Soles4Souls®, the Shoe Charity, and Finish Line Partner for Haitian Relief Efforts
The Shoe Charity commits to sending 1 Million pairs to region

Nashville, TN/ Indianapolis, IN (January 22, 2010) – Soles4Souls (www.giveshoes.org) and Finish Line (www.finishline.com) have joined forces to bring shoes to victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Finish Line will help collect footwear to support Soles4Souls’ commitment to donate more than 1 million pairs of shoes to affected areas. Beginning January 22, customers at Finish Line will have the opportunity to drop off a gently worn pair of shoes. All donations will directly support relief efforts. The retailer will also offer a $5 discount on a new pair of footwear with the donation of a gently worn pair, subject to certain terms and conditions.
Soles4Souls has partnered with other relief organizations to transport and distribute the aid. Thirty containers of supplies, including footwear, clothing, food, water, and medical supplies are already en route to Haiti.
“As we struggle to comprehend the magnitude of this disaster, we cannot forget how important basic necessities – such as shoes – will be in the ongoing rescue and rebuilding efforts,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “We deeply appreciate the longstanding support of our friends at Finish Line and their customers in helping us provide shoes to survivors and volunteers as they work in horrific conditions.”

The death toll from Tuesday’s quake continues to rise, and survivors and rescuers are facing dire health conditions including stifling heat, lack of clean water, broken glass and raw sewage.

“We are proud that our customers have donated more than 200,000 pairs over the past two years to our friends at Soles4Souls,” said Glenn Lyon, Finish Line chief executive officer. “We want to continue that partnership and are happy to be a destination for our customers to contribute to Haitian Relief.”
For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

About Finish Line
The Finish Line, Inc. is a premium athletic footwear store and one of the nation’s largest mall-based specialty retailers, offering a large selection of performance and everyday sport footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and kids. The Finish Line, Inc. is publicly traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol FINL. The company operates 679 Finish Line stores in 47 states and offers online shopping at www.finishline.com.

Post Published: 22 January 2010
Author: admin
Found in section: Uncategorized

Nashville Residents Encouraged to Take Part in PROJECT HAITI with Shoe Charity Soles4Souls

2010-01-20T08:19:00.000-06:00

Over 400 locations in greater Nashville area participating in grassroots effort for victims of Haiti earthquake; event runs until February 13

NASHVILLE TN -- Soles4Souls Inc., the international shoe charity dedicated to providing free footwear to people in need, has announced PROJECT HAITI, a grassroots campaign to engage the general public in collecting gently worn footwear for victims of the January 12 earthquake that devastated the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. The charity has already pledged one million pairs of shoes to be distributed to Haitians during a sustained giving plan in coordination with other agencies.

"This is a simple yet effective way for Nashville residents to help our friends in Haiti during the worst of times," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "We are proud of our local community and its ongoing support of our mission to change lives with the simple gift of shoes,” he said.

Until February 13, over 400 Nashville-area locations will serve as collection points. There are five staffed major collection points, including Southern Hills Medical Center, Plastic Surgery Affiliate, LP Field, GodWhy Church and the Soles4Souls warehouse. All H&R Block locations will also be collecting shoes.

"We are proud to partner with Soles4Souls for this community effort and invite Nashville residents to clean out their closets and get involved in improving the hopes of so many people affected by this terrible tragedy," said Tom Ozburn, CEO of Southern Hills Medical Center. "A pair of shoes will help improve the safety and health of every Haitian as they struggle to rebuild their shattered country,” he said.

Shoe Carnival retail stores will be collecting financial donations at the point of sale at all stores.

PROJECT HAITI also gives Nashvillians the ability to create their own grassroots project by using Soles4Souls’ new fundraising website. Go to www.giveshoes.org and click fundraise now to get started. “Our process is unique because organizers can create a customized fundraising engine in less than 10 minutes,” Elsey said. “It’s an easy and effective way to mobilize your neighborhood, church, school or social circle,” he added.

The five staffed collection centers will be open from 12-6pm Monday-Friday and 10am - 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. For more information on Soles4Souls and its relief partners, visit www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, 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.

SOURCE: Soles4Souls Inc
CONTACT: Elizabeth Kirk, elizabethk@giveshoes.org, 615-391-5723

Soles4Souls®, the Shoe Charity and VANS Shoes Partner for Haitian Relief Efforts

2010-01-15T17:00:00.000-06:00

Shoe Company to Donate 10,000 Pairs of Shoes to Victims

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 15, 2010) – Soles4Souls (www.giveshoes.org) and Vans have partnered to provide shoes and other relief supplies to victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Vans will donate 10,000 pairs of shoes to survivors and volunteers as part of an industry-wide relief effort mounted by Soles4Souls. In addition to a complete aid package that includes food, bottled water, medical supplies, tents, blankets, flashlights and baby products, Soles4Souls and its partners will provide more than 100,000 pairs of shoes.
Soles4Souls has partnered with Operation Compassion, a charity that mobilizes support for victims of natural disasters around the world, to transport and distribute the aid. Thirty containers of supplies, including work boots, rain boots, children’s athletic shoes and clothing items, are already en route to Haiti.
“As we struggle to comprehend the magnitude of this disaster, we cannot forget how important basic necessities – such as shoes – will be in the ongoing rescue and rebuilding efforts,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “We are grateful to our good friends at Vans for their support. This generous donation will enable us to provide these essential items to survivors and volunteers as they work in horrific conditions.”

The death toll from Tuesday’s quake continues to rise, and survivors and rescuers are facing dire health conditions including stifling heat, lack of clean water, broken glass and raw sewage, and essential items such as shoes.

“We are honored to be a part of this important relief effort,” said Kevin Bailey, President of Vans. “With mounting public health concerns about conditions in the area, something as simple as a pair of shoes can make a huge impact on relief efforts. We are grateful to Soles4Souls for leading the charge to bring these and other basic necessities to victims.”

For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

About Vans®
Vans, the leader in action sports footwear and apparel, is a brand of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC). Vans collections, which include active footwear, apparel and accessories, snowboard boots and outerwear and the Pro-tec line of protective gear, are sold in the United States through more than 200 company owned stores and factory outlets as well as independent retailers. Internationally, Vans sells its goods in approximately 50 countries through a network of distributors, sales agents and foreign offices. Vans supports and promotes the action sports lifestyle through such events and destinations as, the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing™, The Vans Downtown Showdown, the Pro-tec Pool Party and the Vans Warped Tour®.

# # #

Soles4Souls®, the Shoe Charity, and Sport Chalet Partner for Haitian Relief Efforts

2010-01-15T15:00:00.000-06:00

NASHVILLE, Tenn./LOS ANGELES, Ca. (January 14, 2010) – Soles4Souls (www.giveshoes.org) and Sport Chalet have joined forces to bring shoes and other aid to victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Sport Chalet will help collect footwear to support Soles4Souls’ commitment to donate more than 250,000 pairs of shoes as well as other necessities, including food, bottled water, medical supplies and baby products, to affected areas. Beginning January 15, customers at Sport Chalet’s more than 55 stores will have the opportunity to drop off a gently worn pair of shoes. All donations will directly support relief efforts.
Soles4Souls has partnered with Operation Compassion, a charity that mobilizes support for victims of natural disasters around the world, to transport and distribute the aid. Thirty containers of supplies, including work boots, rain boots, children’s athletic shoes and clothing items, are already en route to Haiti.
“As we struggle to comprehend the magnitude of this disaster, we cannot forget how important basic necessities – such as shoes – will be in the ongoing rescue and rebuilding efforts,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “We deeply appreciate the support of Sport Chalet and their customers in helping us provide shoes and other essential items to survivors and volunteers as they work in horrific conditions.”

The death toll from Tuesday’s quake continues to rise, and survivors and rescuers are facing dire health conditions including stifling heat, lack of clean water, broken glass and raw sewage.

"Being reminded of how fragile our world is, and seeing the devastation that has affected so many, makes it evident that our continued partnership with charities like Soles4Souls is more relevant than ever," said Craig Levra, Chairman and CEO of Sport Chalet. "With 55 Sport Chalet drop-off locations in four states, we are asking our customers, our employees, and our vendors to stop by and donate their gently worn shoes for those so tragically affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Since we live with this same threat every day, it is a natural response for Sport Chalet to help, and we are so pleased to be able to do so."

For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

About Sport Chalet
Sport Chalet, founded in 1959 by Norbert Olberz, is a leading operator of full service specialty
sporting goods stores in California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. The Company offers over 50
services for the serious sports enthusiast, including backpacking, canyoneering, and kayaking
instruction, custom golf club fitting and repair, snowboard and ski rental and repair, SCUBA
training and certification, SCUBA boat charters, team sales, racquet stringing, and bicycle tuneup
and repair throughout its 55 locations. For more information, visit www.sportchalet.com.
# # #

Soles4Souls® Inc. Grateful for Donated Shoes for Haiti Earthquake Victims

2010-01-15T13:00:00.001-06:00

Shoe charity now able to commit 250,000 pairs of new shoes

Nashville, TN -- Soles4Souls Inc., the shoe charity, originally committed to 100,000 pairs of shoes for the rebuilding efforts in Haiti. It turns out that figure was too low.

"Once again, our partners in the footwear industry have been phenomenal," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO. "From the largest shoe brands to single store owners across the country, each has stepped up to donate new shoes and funds for the Haiti Relief Project. We are grateful that we can now commit to a quarter of a million pairs of shoes to people in need on the ground," he said.

In partnership with several other organizations, Soles4Souls is sending emergency aid that includes footwear, food, medical supplies, bottled water, tents, blankets, baby products and more. The charity is also planning for a sustained giving campaign to make sure its resources are maximized and channeled properly to each aid organization on the ground in Haiti.

"This is going to be a long and painful rebuilding process, and if we don't act in a sustainable, calculated manner we could end up doing more harm than good," Elsey said.

Elsey said that his organization has received truckloads of work boots, rain boots, children's athletic shoes, sport sandals, socks and other accessories to be delivered as soon as possible to aid centers in Haiti. The general public can participate by visiting www.giveshoes.org to find a donation center nearby, or to make a cash donation online.

Elsey said his charity continues to receive generous support from the general public, as well. "Churches, schools, civic groups and neighborhood associations are reporting an amazing number of donations, and we are honored by the tremendous work done on our behalf," he said.

Many notable athletes, singers and politicians are also adding their assistance, such as Luke Perry, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, and Senator Bill Frist.

The Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, and many surrounding villages were devastated by the largest earthquake to strike in over 200 years. News reports are painting a terrifying picture of death and disorder among a people already devastated by poverty and natural disaster.

According to Soles4Souls, a pair of new shoes is absolutely necessary in order for the Haitian survivors to be effective in rescue and rebuilding efforts amidst broken glass, twisted metal and raw sewage.

For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

SOURCE: Soles4Souls Inc.

Soles4Souls and KIWI Shoe Care Partner for Haitian Relief Efforts

2010-01-15T11:00:00.000-06:00

NASHVILLE, Tenn./EXTON, Pa. (January 14, 2010) – Soles4Souls (www.soles4souls.org) and KIWI Shoe Care have partnered to provide shoes and other relief supplies to victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

KIWI’s contributions will support Soles4Souls’ donation of 100,000 pairs of shoes to survivors and relief workers. Together, the companies will also provide a complete aid package that includes food, bottled water, medical supplies, tents, blankets, flashlights and baby products. In addition, Kiwi will incorporate support for Soles4Souls Haitian relief effort in the company’s upcoming events at the January 29 Philadelphia 76ers game as well as the January 30 Philadelphia Flyers game.
Soles4Souls has partnered with Operation Compassion, a charity that mobilizes support for victims of natural disasters around the world, to transport and distribute the aid. Thirty containers of supplies, including work boots, rain boots, children’s athletic shoes and clothing items, are already en route to Haiti.
“As we struggle to comprehend the magnitude of this disaster, it’s easy to forget how important basic necessities – such as shoes – will be in the ongoing rescue and rebuilding efforts,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “KIWI’s generous donation will enable us to provide these essential items to survivors and volunteers as they work in horrific conditions.”

The death toll from Tuesday’s quake continues to rise, and survivors and rescuers are facing dire health conditions including stifling heat, lack of clean water, broken glass and raw sewage.

“From the Asian tsunami to Hurricane Katrina to our ongoing efforts in Africa, KIWI Shoe Care has consistently responded to those in need through our shoe collection and distribution initiatives,” said Martin Lind, President of Household and Beverage for Sara Lee Corporation. “KIWI is proud to stand with Soles4Souls in responding to the devastating Haitian earthquake and we will work tirelessly to ensure that all of those affected by this disaster are well served by this initiative to provide them with much-needed footwear.”

For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

About KIWI Shoe Care
Since 1906, KIWI has viewed shoes as a key part of personal grooming and its products as an important part of projecting a certain image to the world. This belief remains true today as KIWI is now sold and marketed in almost 200 countries worldwide. As an integral brand within Sara Lee Corporation's Household & Beverage Division since 1984, KIWI remains the world's number one shoe care brand offering Show Polish, Cleaners, Insoles and Shoe Laces. For more information on KIWI, visit www.kiwicare.com.

# # #

Nashville Megachurch HopePark Partners with Soles4Souls®, the Shoe Charity, to Aid Recovery in Haiti

2010-01-15T09:00:00.000-06:00

Church opens doors to Soles4Souls’ CEO to help raise funds for relief effort

Nashville, TN – Nashville’s hopepark church announced late Wednesday it will help Soles4Souls Inc., the shoe charity, in their efforts to ship 100,000 pairs of shoes to the survivors of the January 12 earthquake in Haiti. The death toll from the 7.0 earthquake is estimated to reach more than 100,000 people. It is considered the worst disaster to hit the Caribbean in more than 200 years.

After hearing news of the disaster and watching the devastation unfold, hopepark Pastor David Perez knew his church body would want to respond and support the people of Haiti. Once he received word of the shoe charity’s commitment, he reached out to Soles4Souls.

“Showing compassion to our neighbors by growing faith, giving hope and spreading love is one of the principles on which our church operates,” explained Perez, who has led the hopepark church (formerly Bellevue Community Church) since 2007. “The scale of the tragedy in Haiti moves all of us to respond. Fortunately, Soles4Souls is positioned to begin immediately delivering relief – and hope – to the people of Haiti.”

On Sunday, January 17th, Soles4Souls’ Founder Wayne Elsey will be present at hopepark church to share the mission of the shoe charity and allow congregants the opportunity to support the relief efforts in place. The services are broadcast live on the Internet at hopepark.com/resources/webcast.

“Recovery for the people of Haiti will require a sustained humanitarian effort from everyone who can give,” said Wayne Elsey. “We are grateful to our partners at HopePark for their support and need other organizations to get involved in the process of rescuing and rebuilding the lives of these victims.”

According to Elsey, a pair of decent shoes is absolutely necessary in order to participate effectively in rescue and rebuilding efforts among broken glass, twisted metal and raw sewage. The shoe charity has received truckloads of work boots, rain boots, children’s athletic shoes, sport sandals, socks and other accessories to be delivered as soon as possible to aid centers in Haiti. In partnership with several other aid organizations, Soles4Souls is also sending emergency aid that includes footwear, food, medical supplies, bottled water, tents, blankets, baby products and more.

For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

About the hopepark church
Founded in 1988, the hopepark church is defined by its congregation’s commitment to growing faith, giving hope and spreading love. hopepark has become known as a church where all are welcome – regardless of background or belief – because every life is important to God.
hopepark services are held Sundays at 8:30am, 10am and 11:30am, and are broadcast live on the Internet. Learn more at www.hopepark.com.

# # #

Soles4Souls® Inc. Rushing Aid to Earthquake Survivors in Haiti

2010-01-15T06:18:00.002-06:00

Shoe Charity Partnering with Senator Bill Frist, M.D. and others to help provide emergency assistance and 100,000 pairs of new shoes

Nashville, TN -- Soles4Souls Inc., the shoe charity, announced their commitment to provide 100,000 pairs of new shoes to victims of the January 12 earthquake in Haiti. The 7.0 earthquake has killed more than 100,000 people, according to recent news reports, with several estimates as high as 500,000 people killed.

In partnership with several other aid organizations, Soles4Souls is sending emergency aid that includes footwear, food, medical supplies, bottled water, tents, blankets, baby products and more.

The charity continues to receive generous support from the general public, as well as its longstanding partners in the footwear industry. One such partner is Foot Solutions, which has 220 locations throughout the United States and announced its plans to raise funds and shoes for Soles4Souls.

“Foot Solutions is working aggressively with Soles4Souls to help our Haitian neighbors in this terrible disaster,” said Ray Margiano, CEO of Foot Solutions. “I have been to this country in the past and am very well aware of the level of poverty that exists and the shortage of supplies that are difficult on a normal level and this is especially hard on this struggling country,” he said.

Soles4Souls has also secured the important assistance of U.S. Senate Majority Leader (Ret.) Bill Frist of Tennessee, who is working with Soles4Souls through his charity, Hope Through Healing Hands.

“In the wake of this natural disaster, shoes are of paramount importance to begin the difficult work of rebuilding Port-au-Prince and the areas beyond,” said Dr. Frist. “We are proud to support Soles4Souls' efforts to bring relief to the poorest country in the western hemisphere wracked by one of the most devastating earthquakes in the last two centuries.”

The Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, and many surrounding villages were devastated by the largest earthquake to strike in over 200 years. News reports are painting a terrifying picture of death and disorder among a people already devastated by poverty and natural disaster.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragedy unfolding in Haiti,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “This is going to require a sustained humanitarian effort from all of us who can give, and Soles4Souls will be here to do our part with the gift of shoes to aid in the rescue and rebuilding process,” he said.

Elsey said that his organization has received truckloads of work boots, rain boots, children’s athletic shoes, sport sandals, socks and other accessories to be delivered as soon as possible to aid centers in Haiti. The general public can donate by visiting www.giveshoes.org to find a donation center nearby or to make a cash donation online.

“Our partners on the ground in Haiti are setting up aid centers to be able to effectively distribute aid as needed,” said Elsey. “It’s extremely important to work together with all aid organizations to present as orderly and effective a process as possible in such a chaotic situation,” he said.

According to Elsey, a pair of decent shoes is absolutely necessary in order to participate effectively in rescue and rebuilding efforts among broken glass, twisted metal and raw sewage.

“We are responding to a disaster, but we know this will be a long and difficult process,” Elsey said. “This is why we’re committing 100,000 pairs so that the survivors and volunteers will have our resources throughout the rebuilding efforts,” he said.

For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

Foundations, businesses commit relief and funds to aid victims of Haiti earthquake

2010-01-14T08:19:00.000-06:00

From the Los Angeles Times
By The Associated Press
01/13/10

Businesses and other groups across the country on Wednesday committed millions of dollars and gave supplies and other aid to relief efforts for victims of the earthquake that has ravaged Haiti.

Amazon.com has added a box on its home page that customers can click to donate to the Haiti relief efforts of Mercy Corps, and anyone with a cell phone can donate $10 to the American Red Cross by sending a text message with the word "HAITI" to 90999.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck just west of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, and it is feared thousands have died. President Barack Obama has promised an all-out rescue and humanitarian effort.

Bank of America Corp. will give $1 million and the Walmart Foundation $600,000 to help victims of the earthquake that hit Tuesday. American Airlines is flying in relief supplies and grocers and other companies are donating funds and products, the organizations said Wednesday.

Coca-Cola Co.'s charitable arm is donating $1 million to American Red Cross efforts in Haiti, and it donating bottled water and other drinks through its bottler in the Dominican Republic.

The UPS Foundation is giving $500,000 in cash and up to $500,000 in shipping services to the effort, split among various relief organizations, including the American Red Cross and UNICEF.

Drugmaker Abbott Laboratories and its philanthropic foundation are providing $1 million in grant funding and donations of pharmaceutical and nutritional products.

Other pledges include $100,000 each from Publix Super Markets Charities, Wells Fargo & Co., TD Bank Financial Group and the charitable arm of auto maker General Motors, $25,000 from the Kraft Foods Foundation and 100,000 pairs of shoes from Soles4Souls Inc., a charity in Nashville, Tenn. The Walt Disney Co. said it would donate $100,000 to the Red Cross.

The Western Union Co. said it would give $250,000 to earthquake relief efforts and said its agents won't charge transfer fees to anyone sending money to Haiti from the U.S., Canada and France for seven days after service is re-established throughout the country.

Web design and hosting company Go Daddy sent a check for $500,000 Wednesday to Hope for Haiti, an organization focusing on education, nutrition and health care. Cereal maker Kellogg Co. pledged $250,000 to the American Red Cross.

Bank of America, Kellogg, Western Union and other companies said they also will match donations its employees make.

Half of Bank of America's $1 million commitment covers a grant to the American Red Cross for the Haitian Relief and Development Fund. The other $500,000 will cover long-term recovery, including restoring basic medical services and rebuilding homes and schools.

American Airlines parent AMR Corp. said it will award 250 bonus miles to customers who give the American Red Cross $50-plus and 500 to those who donate $100-plus, from Thursday through Feb. 28.

Three American Eagle aircraft arrived in devastated Port-au-Prince on Wednesday with 30,000 pounds of water, food and other nonperishable goods. Three relief missions also are planned Thursday and three more Friday.

The Walmart Foundation said it plans to give $500,000 in cash plus food kits worth $100,000, both through the American Red Cross.

The foundation also launched a Web site at walmartstores.com/haiti, where customers and employees can donate to nonprofits that are helping Haitian victims of the natural disaster.

Soles4Souls to distribute new shoes to Union Gospel Mission in Dallas

2010-01-13T08:49:00.002-06:00

by PegNews wire

Soles4Souls®, the shoe charity, and their RV team will distribute pairs of new shoes to residents of the Union Gospel Mission in Dallas. The center serves as a shelter to more than 500 homeless men, women and children, providing them with food, shelter, and clothing. Dallas is a part of a 20-city distribution tour to commemorate Soles4Souls Five Year Anniversary. The tour launched in New Orleans, LA on January 8th and will continue to Austin, TX on January 18th.

Soles4Souls staff and RV team are crisscrossing the nation on a national distribution tour and will be present at the site to fit the Union Gospel Mission clients with shoes. Allen and Silvana Clark are empty nesters who joined the Soles4Souls team in early 2009 and have since visited more than 100 cities throughout the country to engage the general public on becoming involved with the charity. They are excited to be involved with the 5 Year Anniversary tour, and knew Dallas would be a great addition. “Dallas is full of successful professionals, but there are also a high number of individuals in need of a helping hand. We are happy to be able to meet the hurting face-to-face and offer them a little hope with the gift of shoes,” said Silvana Clark.

More About Soles4Souls:

Nashville-based Soles4Souls® facilitates the donations of both new and used shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Soles4Souls has distributed more than 7 million pairs (currently donating one pair every 9 seconds) to people in over 125 countries, including Honduras, Uganda, Romania, and the United States. The charity has been featured recently in Runner's World and the Green Guide by National Geographic. It has also appeared on CNN, NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, and hundreds of regional outlets around North America. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS; donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Visit www.giveshoes.org for more information.

More About Union Gospel Mission:

Since 1949 the Union Gospel Mission has been reaching out to the homeless in Dallas. We provide food, shelter, clothing and faith to 500+ men, women and children nightly. For many the mission is a place to enter, to seek shelter from the storm. For many others it’s a place to stay, to live, to become a healthy member of society with a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ.

H&R Block and Soles4Souls, the Shoe Charity Announce Partnership and "Give a Charity a Second Look"

2010-01-12T08:02:00.002-06:00

News Release

H&R Block and Soles4Souls® Inc, the Shoe Charity launch fundraising effort in 2010!

For Immediate Release January 11, 2010

NASHVILLE, TN – H&R Block and Soles4Souls will host a city-wide event called ‘Give a Charity a Second Look’ at your neighborhood H&R Block. The community will be able to find out more about Soles4Souls and partner with them and H&R Block to support their cause of distributing shoes to people in need all over the world. Visitors can also get free tax advice or take advantage of our tax services and give back to the community at the same time!

H&R Block and Soles4Souls also announced a new fundraising partnership where Soles4Souls will be awarded $25 for each new eligible client with a referral flyer, who has their tax preparation completed at a participating H&R Block retail office. Please call Soles4Souls at 615-391-5723 for referral flyers and more information.

“We’re very excited to be partnering with Soles4Souls. Last year, almost 1,000 charitable organizations nationwide participated in H&R Block’s Non-Profit Referral Program,” said Gary LaRoy with H&R Block. “Whether it’s free tax advice, a community service project or raising money for charity, giving back is part of H&R Block’s culture.”

“We are thrilled that a company like H&R Block has chosen to get behind our message of hope during this tax season,” says Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “We see this as a great way for us to raise money for our organization while knowing that our supporters will get the best expertise and knowledge on their taxes."

H&R Block will also be collecting gently worn footwear to ship the shoes to a person in need, whether they are victims of a natural disaster or subject to living in extreme poverty. It is estimated that Americans have 1.5 billion pairs of unused shoes lying in their closets. The charity can use each and every one of these pairs to make a tangible difference in someone’s life.

H&R Block’s Non-Profit Referral Program is available to certain 501c(3) organizations. To be considered for 2010, charitable organizations should contact their local H&R Block office.

###
About H&R Block
H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB) is the world’s preeminent tax services provider, having prepared more than 500 million tax returns since 1955. In fiscal 2009, H&R Block had annual revenues of $4.1 billion and prepared more than 24 million tax returns worldwide, utilizing more than 120,000 highly trained tax professionals. The Company provides tax return preparation services in person, online through H&R Block Online, through its TaxCut® software and through other channels. The Company is also one of the leading providers of business services through RSM McGladrey. For more information visit our Online Press Center at www.hrblock.com.

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. 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 over 5.5 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls has been featured in Runner's World, Ladies' Home Journal, National Geographic's Green Guide and The New York Times. It has appeared on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, BBC, CNN and thousands of regional news outlets across North America. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Anyone can join our cause, and we need your help. Visit www.giveshoes.org for more information.

Individual to collect 100,000 Shoes for Soles4Souls Shoe Charity

2010-01-11T14:47:00.003-06:00

Meet Alexander Diaz. He is an individual from Auburn, Massachusetts who has taken on the incredible task of collecting 100,000 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls, the shoe charity. This is the largest donation by a single individual in the history of our organization. Alexander has already collected more than 83,000 pairs, with more pairs pouring in every day. Alexander has so many pairs of shoes that he has to rent out extra warehouse space to store them all.

Alexander can use YOUR HELP! With this enormous record-breaking feat comes great responsibility. Alexander also works a full time job running his 3 UPS stores in the Auburn area. If you live in the Boston area and are interested in collecting new or gently worn shoes or volunteering to help Alexander process the shoes you can visit www.wewantyourshoes.com for additional details.

Soles4Souls Distributes Shoes to New Orleans' Youth at the Covenant House

2010-01-11T08:14:00.006-06:00

On Friday, the Soles4Souls team along with their RV visited a New Orleans' At-Risk Youth center to distribute shoes to the residents there. Soles4Souls, the shoe charity, has distributed 7 million pairs of shoes worldwide since it's conception in 2005. The RV team is embarking on a 20 city tour to commemorate the charity's 5 Year Anniversary, which launched in New Orleans on January 8th. The RV will continue on to Houston on the 12th and then to Dallas.

Soles4Souls on the March in RVs

2010-01-08T09:11:00.003-06:00

Article From www.Tonic.com
By Katherine Gustafson
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 1:45 PM ET

I suppose it would be too much to ask the shoe-donation charity to walk its 20-city tour. Though it would be an appropriate method of transportation (and, come to think of it, good publicity), the international organization Soles4Souls is opting instead to take its shoe, I mean show, on the road via RV.

Marking the Nashville-based NGO's five-year anniversary, the Soles4Souls RV Tour starts January 8 with a trip to New Orleans, where representatives will give shoes to kids at The Covenant House shelter for homeless, runaway and at-risk youth. From there the shoe brigade will visit nine states to donate shoes to many others in need.

Ubiquitous Kim Kardashian...is fundraising for the group through a video campaign at www.50kshoes.com. She will apparently also help distribute shoes in some of the cities on the tour, which will cover Dallas, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Denver and Topeka, among others.

Soles4Souls the shoe charity and STARKART Announce STAR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD

2010-01-07T08:43:00.001-06:00

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- With the start of the New Year, STARKART and Soles4Souls are teaming up to help spread the word and raise funds for the international shoe charity. STARKART's advertising partners nationwide will have the opportunity to participate in the campaign by collecting donations through their local businesses.

"We are excited to kick off the New Year with our partners at STARKART," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls, Inc. "A simple pair of shoes can mean the difference between a good education and none at all in most countries. Their support is truly helping us change the world one pair at a time," he said.

"We are thrilled to partner with Soles4Souls. Our program will give thousands of our local businesses the opportunity to unite for Soles4Souls in their mission of improving the lives of so many around the world," said Jeffrey Rosenthal, CEO of STARKART.

Please join STARKART and their efforts to support Soles4Souls by going into one of the many local businesses in your neighborhood participating in this National Drive or by texting SHOES to 20222 and $5.00 will be charged to your phone bill, which will go directly to Soles4Souls.

Please visit www.starkart.net/charity to find all of the participating businesses.

People and companies interested in donating can visit Soles4Souls website at www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls®

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. The charity distributes these shoes free of charge to people in need. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 5.5 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently donating one pair every 9 seconds.) The shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries. Soles4Souls has been featured in National Geographic's Green Guide and The New York Times. 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 STARKART(TM)

STARKART's STAR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD marketing program combines grocery cart advertising in over 10,000 stores throughout the country, and includes other services for local businesses such as full e-mail marketing and various online services.

Soles4Souls(R) Inc. Marks Five Year Milestone with Multiple City Tour

2010-01-06T08:45:00.001-06:00

From Fox Business
January 6, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan 05, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ ----Soles4Souls Inc., the international shoe charity dedicated to giving away free footwear to those in need, announced today that it has finalized its schedule for a multiple city distribution effort across the country in order to mark its Five Year Anniversary.

Soles4Souls is visiting 20 cities in nine states beginning January 8, when the Soles4Souls RV Tour will visit New Orleans to distribute new shoes to children staying at The Covenant House, which provides shelter and services to homeless, runaway and at-risk youth ages 16-21.

Kim Kardashian, the popular TV star and established businesswoman, is helping raise funds for the Soles4Souls distributions through a video campaign on www.50kshoes.com. She has also pledged her time in helping distribute the shoes to children in need.

"We are excited that Ms. Kardashian has joined our efforts to put new shoes on the feet of kids who really need our help," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO. "She is helping us engage the general public with our mission and her assistance is incredibly valuable," he said.

Other cities that the RV Tour will visit include Houston, Dallas, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Denver and Topeka, Kansas. For more information visit www.giveshoes.org or call 866-521-SHOE (7463).

About Soles4Souls(R)

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. 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 over 6 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently donating one pair every 9 seconds.) The shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls has been featured in Runner's World, Ladies' Home Journal, National Geographic's Green Guide and The New York Times. It has appeared on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, BBC, CNN and thousands of regional news outlets across North America. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Anyone can join our cause, and we need your help. Visit www.giveshoes.org for more information.

SOURCE Soles4Souls

http://www.giveshoes.org
Copyright (C) 2010 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

Keith Woodley Named Chief Development Officer at Soles4Souls

2010-01-05T08:17:00.001-06:00

Soles4Souls strengthens its executive team
January 05, 2010 (USA)

Soles4Souls Inc., the shoe charity, announced that it has promoted footwear industry veteran Keith Woodley to the new position of Chief Development Officer, effective immediately. Woodley, a long-time footwear industry professional, started at Soles4Souls in March as V.P. of Strategic Development for the charity.

"This is a new position within our organization and we chose Woodley because he has proven his value through strong development and strategic placement of the Soles4Souls brand in various channels," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO. "We are very pleased with this decision and confident it will facilitate our strategic plan to give away a pair of shoes every second in 2010," Elsey said.

"I'm thrilled by this tremendous opportunity given to me by Mr. Elsey and the Board," said Woodley. "I am honored to be part of such an outstanding organization committed to changing people's lives every day, and I'm looking forward to being a valuable part of Soles4Souls' long term success," he said.

Soles4Souls Inc

A Letter to Soles4Souls From Cambodia

2010-01-04T15:50:00.003-06:00

Below is a letter from one of our partners who recently distributed shoes from Soles4Souls the shoe charity.

“On October 23rd , I headed back for my third trip to Cambodia to serve the poor and disadvantaged there. With me , I took the 189 prs of flip flops that you so generously donated through Soles 4 Soul. My first stop was to the Kelly's Day Center in KrayBei. Here we gave out close to 100 pr to the staff and children that come for education, moral training and life skills. None of the children had shoes. They were astonished to get new shoes. The staff hugged us over and over. Thank you for the gift to these lovely people.

The next stop was to an orphage on the outskirts of Phnom Penh called The Good Shepard Orphanage. Most of these children are truly orphans or street children that now live at the orphanage. They almost knocked us over to get at the package of shoes. They were elated !! It is such a blessing to give to those who have nothing !!

The last of the sandals went to a Pastor and his congregation. We visited him on Sunday for service. This church was a bamboo thatched building with a tin roof. The pastors name is Samdy and he grinned from ear to ear with the delivery of these sandals !! The church was a 1 one hour ride by moto and we back packed the sandals and drove through the muddy rice paddy roads till we got to Ta Soul village.”

Debbie Walsh, Hope International Outreach

Elementary School Collects More Than 1,000 Pairs of Shoes

2010-01-04T08:09:00.001-06:00

From The Reporter
L. SALFORD - Students collect shoes for needy

The Lower Salford Elementary School fifth held a shoe drive for Soles4Souls the shoe charity, an organization that collects shoes and distributes them in the United States and across the world.

Hughes Transport, a Lansdale-based moving company, agreed to transport shoes to their destination in Alabama.

Their partnership enabled the project to reach its full potential, allowing participation by the entire school.

The fifth-graders gave up their recess to collect, bundle, box and count shoes.

They collected more than 1,000 pairs for the less fortunate.

They also saved these shoes from being thrown away and filling up landfills.

Soles4Souls, the shoe charity, sees bright future ahead

2009-12-31T08:23:00.001-06:00

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Soles4Souls® Inc., the international shoe charity that gives away shoes to people in need, issued a report today that its 2009 donations increased by more than 20% over 2008 levels. Since the Asian tsunami five years ago, the charity has collected and distributed more than 6.4 million pairs of free shoes to people in need. Currently, Soles4Souls distributes one pair of shoes every nine seconds.

"We are humbled by and so thankful for the tremendous support of the general public, footwear professionals and our friends in the entertainment industry who have helped us reach this level of success," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "Through the hard work and generosity of these partners, we are able to make a real difference in the lives of millions. We are excited to forge forward into 2010 with our goal of giving away one pair of free shoes each second," he said.

In addition to its remarkable growth during 2009, the charity announced recently that it has purchased its own building in the greater Nashville area. Elsey said this move is strategic to reduce overhead expenses while taking advantage of a favorable real estate market. Elsey also noted that the charity is in final discussions to build a state-of-the-art warehouse to further consolidate operations and efficiency.

Despite the rapid growth, Soles4Souls continues to operate on 2.5% administrative costs, making it among the most effective charities in the country. "Our strategy is tight controls and asset management to maximize the results of our rapidly growing charity -- impacting the world one pair at a time," Elsey said.

About Soles4Souls®

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. 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 over 6 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently donating one pair every 9 seconds.) The shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls has been featured in Runner's World, Ladies' Home Journal, National Geographic's Green Guide and The New York Times. It has appeared on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, BBC, CNN and thousands of regional news outlets across North America. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Anyone can join our cause, and we need your help. Visit www.giveshoes.org for more information.

Caroline Panthers Name High School Soles4Souls Donor as Community Captain

2009-12-30T15:00:00.001-06:00

Community Captain: Benjamin Mallouky

By April Smith
Carolina Panthers
Posted Dec 28, 2009

The Carolina Panthers have selected Benjamin Mallouky, a senior at Independence High School (Charlotte, NC), as a 2009 Carolina Panthers Community Captain.

The Carolina Panthers Community Captain program recognizes high school football student-athletes in North and South Carolina who excel in the classroom, in the community and on the field. The program is designed to recognize outstanding young leaders and to encourage their future development as role models while they continue their personal growth in college and in their professional careers.
In his second season as a long snapper and special teams player, Mallouky proved himself to his coaches and team, and was chosen to start for the Patriots football team. In addition, he earned the ultimate team compliment by being elected as a team captain. Mallouky’s skills have been recognized during summer football camps in which he has garnered top awards for his long snapping. Since then, he has been selected as a senior scholar athlete.

Despite his leadership role on the football field, Mallouky does not consider sports to be the only important thing in his life, “I believe academics are a big thing in every teenager’s life, athlete or not. I take pride in my grades and how well I do in school,” said Mallouky. He has achieved an unweighted 3.58 GPA and is ranked in the top 3% in his class. Mallouky, who has consistently taken on the challenge of enrolling in AP and honors courses, has been selected as a Junior Marshal, was nominated by Independence High School for the Belk Scholarship, an academic scholarship for Davidson College, and is also considering Princeton University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Principal Mark Bosco notes that Mallouky frequently works for the betterment of others and is an exceptional role model for his peers. In consideration of those less fortunate, Mallouky organized a school supply drive raised notebooks that benefited Classroom Central’s school supply collection and gathered more than 100 pairs of shoes for the Soles4Souls shoe charity that gives to those in need. Although Mallouky’s week is filled with school and practice, his work does not end on Friday nights. He regularly spends his Saturday mornings mentoring and coaching special needs individuals the game of golf at a local course in order to prepare them for the Special Olympics. "Giving back to the community is an important part in everyone's life. It teaches you to be grateful for what you have, and I love to give back to the community, especially children who do not have it as well as I do," said Mallouky.

From football cleats, to golf cleats to just regular tennis shoes, this Community Captain has filled many shoes. Mallouky’s accomplishments have been recognized by many, including Mint Hill Mayor, Ted Biggers, Jr., “While a student at Independence High School, Mr. Mallouky has excelled academically, and has served as an example for other students through his academic achievements, participation, leadership in school sports and community service,” said Biggers.

The Community Captain Class of 2009 recipients so far this season are Thomas Teal of Marlboro High School (Marlboro, SC), Dylan Bowman of West Brunswick High School (Shallotte, NC), Jonathan Bowie of Hendersonville High School (Hendersonville, NC), Darius Lipford of Hibriten High School (Lenoir, NC), Colin Summers of Needham Broughton High School (Raleigh, NC), Michael Harpe of Spartanburg High School (Spartanburg, SC), Joshua Jenkins of Enloe High School (Raleigh, NC), Samuel Keenan of Lancaster High School (Lancaster, SC) and Benjamin Mallouky of Independence High School (Charlotte, NC).

The 2009 Carolina Panthers Community Captain Class will be recognized during a special on-field ceremony at the Panthers home game versus the New Orleans Saints on January 3rd. Winners will receive an authentic Community Captain jersey and will have the opportunity to

Readers helped collect 400 pairs of shoes for charity, letter says

2009-12-30T10:30:00.000-06:00

By Olivia Stein
GateHouse News Service
Posted Dec 29, 2009 @ 06:08 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wellesley —In September 2009, I submitted a letter to the Townsman about a community service project I was organizing. It was to collect gently used shoes that were going to be donated to needy people across the globe.

People in the community were so generous with their donations to Soles4Souls the shoe charity that the total number of shoes donated and sent to the organization totaled more than 400 pairs of shoes! I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to look through their closets and find shoes to pass along to a needy person.

I especially want to say a big THANK YOU to Elena Lennon, who owns Footstock shoe store in Wellesley. She generously contributed several pairs of brand-new shoes to the shoe drive. Footstock store was used as a drop-off location for the donations, which Elena then boxed up and shipped to the Soles4Souls organization. I could not have made this wonderful project a success without her kind and generous support. So thanks again for making the lives of those less fortunate a little brighter.

Olivia Stein
Cleaveland Road

Hope, Titans Players Raise Money for Soles4Souls at 'Night with the Secondary'

2009-12-30T07:00:00.001-06:00

By Desiree Maxwell, Titans Online

Several Titans players joined teammate Chris Hope at his 2nd Annual "Night With the Secondary" Monday night at Shogun in Brentwood, Tenn.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Titans Safety Chris Hope and several of his teammates spent Monday evening behind the hibachi grills of Shogun Japanese Steakhouse, “cooking” up a good time for a sold out crowd of over 160 guests. The 2nd Annual “Night with the Secondary” charity event raised several thousand dollars for shoe charity Soles4Souls.

Fans were invited to join Hope and numerous members of the Titans defense for the evening. Along with the four-course meal, they were able to bid on over 30 unique and priceless silent auction items while receiving autographs and posing for photos with players.

Hope’s teammates in attendance included Cortland Finnegan, Kyle VandenBosch, Michael Griffin, Vincent Fuller, Rod Hood, David Thornton, Jason McCourty, Ryan Mouton, Colin Allred, Stanford Keglar, Stephen Tulloch, Gerald McRath and Nick Schommer.

“This event was such a good time to host,” said Hope. “It really benefits a great charity in Soles4Souls and it is awesome for my teammates and I to interact with so many fans. I think a great time was had by all, and several of the guys came away with a new appreciation for cooking.”

Hope is the National Spokesperson for Soles4Souls and donates his time to the charity by helping distribute shoes to those in need in the Tennessee and South Carolina areas, as well as donating $100.00 for each tackle made during the season. To date, Hope’s personal support has raised over $30,000, equaling 15,000 pairs of new shoes for the non-profit.

Fans who want to support Hope and honor his dedication to the non-profit can help today by texting HOPE24 to 20222. A $5 donation will be made in Hope’s name to Soles4Souls for each text. This is an opportunity to “Step Up” and help Soles4Souls with their mission of the “Changing the World, One Pair at a Time”

Forsyth residents recycle more than 4,000 pairs of shoes

2009-12-29T12:00:00.000-06:00

Forsyth County residents were in the mood to recycle. During their November 21st event, "Recycle your electronics and shoes," hosted by Keep Forsyth County Beautiful, the residents brought more than 4,000 pairs of shoes to be donated to Soles4Souls the shoe charity. Residents were asked to bring their shoes to the event or take them to the more than 35 schools in the area who were accepting donations as well. Soles4Souls will distribute the donated shoes to people in need worldwide.

Thank You to Mrs. Murphy's 5th Grade Class!

2009-12-29T10:00:00.001-06:00

Below is a post from Mrs. Murphy and her 5th grade class who did a Soles4Souls campaign where they collected shoes for the shoe charity. Soles4Souls is excited to see children at this age giving back to their community. Way to go, friends!!

Our school, Roswell North E.S., had a 'Soles 4 Souls' campaign to donate gently used or new shoes for those in need in our community. I challenged my class to bring fifty (50) pair in return for a special day of their choosing. They far surpassed my challenge. When this picture was taken, they had brought 133 pairs. By the end of the campaign, they brought in a total of 153 pairs of shoes! I am proud of my class all the time because they are a wonderful group of children, but I am especially proud of them for taking on such a worthy cause to help those less fortunate.

Way to go Mrs. Murphy's 5th Grade Class!

Jan Murphy

5th Grade

Roswell North E.S.

Soles4Souls Puts Shoes on the Feet of Kenyan Well Diggers

2009-12-29T07:05:00.005-06:00

Pictured below are the shoes that a group of well diggers in Kenya were wearing before Soles4Souls the shoe charity gave them proper footwear. One young gentleman had fashioned shoes out of old tires. These men work hard to bring fresh water to villages in their area, but without the right footwear their feet would be cut and bruised. They were overwhelmed with the invaluable gift of shoes and thankful that their job would get a little bit easier.

Raymond C. Cramer Elementary Students Collect "Soles 4 Souls"

2009-12-24T11:18:00.001-06:00

Raymond C. Cramer Elementary (RCCE) students in Ms. Katherine Byrne and Ms. Jennifer Gati's classes collected over 500 pairs of shoes for the Soles 4 Souls program sponsored locally by Mandee's Shoes in Middletown. According to statistics, approximately 1.5 pairs of shoes lie idle in American closets and more than 300 million children around the world are without shoes. Soles 4 Souls gives away a pair of shoes every 13 seconds.
The RCCE students collected the most shoes ever gathered by a participating group in the history of the local Soles 4 Souls program. Not only did they collect the shoes, but the students were also able to use their math skills when they sorted, counted and boxed all the shoes that were collected.
Orange-Ulster BOCES is extremely proud of the generosity and dedication of students and staff in these classes and their accomplishment in helping those who are less fortunate than they.

Soles4Souls Distributes Shoes to Kids in 7th Ward New Orleans

2009-12-24T08:31:00.005-06:00

Below is a letter from our partners in New Orleans who recently distributed shoes to students at inner-city Tureaud Elementary school in the 7th Ward. There, 88% of the student body are on the free lunch program. For more information about Soles4Souls shoe charity please visit us online www.giveshoes.org, twitter.com/soles4souls, and facebook.

Dear Friends at Soles4Souls,
We are tremendously thankful for the shoes you allowed us to take to New Orleans.
Thank you for the relationship we have established and that you trust us in distributing your name and shoes. We value that highly.

The shoes that we received from you were distributed on Monday, March 31, 2009 at A.P. Tureaud Elementary (Grades Pre-K to 6) in New Orleans, LA. This school is an inner-city school in the 7th Ward of New Orleans. 88% of the student body eat free lunch.
The principal and staff of the school stated that "This was big deal for the students."
While sizing the students we found that many of them did not have socks and some of them who did had huge holes in them.
As one student exited we overheard them say that this helped them to get "church" shoes. Another stated that they would have shoes to wear for graduation.
While walking on the sidewalk another little girl called out to her mother, who was also walking outside the fence..."Mom, I got new shoes!"
As you can see, the impact of this shoe distribution was astronomical.

We have built a relationship with this school over the past few years and we thank you for supplying shoes to help boost the children's morale. It was simply amazing.

Jennifer Hart
Kelly McDuffie

Soles4Souls distributes shoes to Afghan children

2009-12-23T13:18:00.006-06:00

Below are pictures from a recent distribution in Khowst Province, Afghanistan. More than 50 children that live in the surrounding villages bordering Pakinstan were provided with free footwear from Soles4Souls the shoe charity. The US military in the area help us distribute these shoes. You can find out more about our organization at www.giveshoes.org.

She puts heart and sole into helping others

2009-12-23T07:17:00.003-06:00

Catherine Thriveni, 16, a student at North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, held a shoe drive for the nonprofit organization Soles4Souls. Thriveni, of Salisbury, has collected 112 pairs of new or gently used shoes from her classmates. Photo by

Shavonne Potts/Salisbury Post By Shavonne Potts

spotts@salisburypost.com

Catherine Thriveni recently acquired more than 100 pairs of shoes. In a few weeks she's giving them all away.

Thriveni, 16, began collecting shoes from her classmates to start her own shoe drive for Soles4Souls, a nonprofit organization based in Tennessee that receives new or gently used shoes and gives them to people who need the footwear.

"You don't have to pay any money. We'll take shoes you don't use anymore and give to people who can use them," she said.

Thriveni is a junior at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham. The school is a public, residential high school where students study specialized curriculum emphasizing science and math.

She spoke with a school administrator who sent an e-mail to students and faculty about Thriveni's drive. She set up collection boxes in each residence hall. She received a lot of responses.

"School is busy and for students, it's nice to take a break and think about others," Thriveni said.

Her classmates and others have been supportive of her efforts to receive as many pairs of shoes as she can.

"Everyone has been supportive. That's the most rewarding part. One of my friends donated 11 pairs of shoes," she said.

Everyone is so willing to help. Many of her donations have been from a few people giving a lot.

Her brother, Tom, 21, also donated some of his shoes.

Thriveni began collecting shoes around Thanksgiving and has collected 112 pairs.

She chose this time of the year because students would have time to return home and solicit donations from other friends and family.

Thriveni also created a Facebook page for the drive and solicited donations on the social networking site.

She was familiar with the organization prior to deciding to have her own drive. A donation drive had been done at Sacred Heart where she attended.

"We all want to be active and give back. We just need the opportunity," she said.

Community service is something Thriveni is passionate about. She's volunteered with the American Red Cross for two years. Also with CODA, Care of the Durham Area, a school club/program where students volunteer at local shelters. Thriveni will go to Guatemala for a month for a summer with Global Public Service Academies, a program for juniors and seniors who have interest in health careers. While in Guatemala she will shadow phyisicans, conduct health screenings.

Thriveni wants to become a pediatrician.

"It gives me a good feeling to help others," she said.

It's important for Thriveni to take a break from the hustle and bustle of school and "focus on really important things," she said.

Thriveni hopes to get more shoes for this drive before its time to ship the shoes to the nearest warehouse, in Alabama, for distribution.

Her father, Pius, and mother, Nice, have been so supportive, Thriveni said.

Once all of the shoes have been collected her parents will pay to have them shipped.

She's not done. Thriveni plans to conduct another drive next year and collect even more shoes.

"When you think about it, it's such a simple thing with such huge benefits and such huge rewards," she said.

For more information about the Soles4Souls organization, visit www. soles4souls. org.

To contribute to Catherine Thriveni's shoe drive, contact her at thrivenic@ncssm.edu or 704-645-0757.

Greetings From South Africa

2009-12-22T07:15:00.004-06:00

Below is a letter from the ASHE Foundation who recently took a trip to South Africa to distribute more than 3,000 pairs of shoes donated by Soles4Souls to orphaned children. Stories like these come in every day from people all over the world who are helped through Soles4Souls. You can find out more about our organization at www.soles4souls.org.

Greetings Soles4Souls Team,

On August 6th thru August 13th, The ASHE Foundation traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa and distributed over 3000 pairs of shoes to orphaned children in the city of Limpopo and Soweto, South Africa. The 1611 pairs of shoes that were donated by Souls 4 Sole were distributed to orphaned children in the village of Ga-Dikgale, Limpopo.

CEO Dion Fearon, myself and International singer and songwriter Kenny Lattimore washed the feet and distributed shoes to orphaned children attending the drop in centers in the villages of Limpopo, South Africa. Over 2000 orphaned children who are being raised by their older siblings (usually under the age of 17) attend these drop in centers to receive food and counseling. The children have lost their parents from the devastating effects of AIDS and many of the female siblings have been raped by local male villagers once the parents have passed. We were able wash the feet of many of the children and place new shoes donated by Soles 4 Souls on their feet. They were thrilled to have their feet washed and receive a new pair of shoes.

Thank you for your generous donation of shoes that helped us change the lives of many children two feet at a time. We will be on another life changing trip to Africa in November and would love to take more donated shoes by S4S.

Best,

Antina Campbell
The ASHÉ Foundation

Watsonville store hosts Soles4Souls shoe drive

2009-12-21T16:01:00.004-06:00

From Santa Cruz Sentinel
By Jory John

WATSONVILLE -- Watsonville retail store Queen's Shoes and More has started its second annual shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls, a nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting shoes and distributing them to people in need.

Last year, Queen's Shoes & More gathered more than 150 pairs of shoes, which they sent to Soles4Souls for repairs and distribution. The shoe drive, which commenced Dec. 1, runs until the end of this month.

Sindy Hernandez, co-owner of Queen's Shoes & More, said that the goal is to collect as many pairs of shoes as possible for disadvantaged families. Hernandez originally heard about Soles4Souls on television.

"I thought, what better way to give back," Hernandez said. "It feels good giving shoes to people who don't have anything."

Hernandez said that memories of her childhood contribute to her awareness of how important a good pair of shoes can be.

"I grew up in Mexico, being very poor," she said. "We only got new shoes once a year. We wore our shoes until our toes were coming out of them. Even though I have had success, I haven't forgotten about that."

Hernandez, who started Queen's Shoes & More with her husband Carlos Cornejo, said that for every pair of shoes donated, patrons receive a 10-percent discount at the store. For every pair sold during the month of December, Queen's Shoes & More will donate a new pair of shoes to Soles4Souls.

Overall, Hernandez said that the 2009 shoe drive is going well, but that she expects more donations.

"So far, we have a box and a half full of shoes. Everybody has shoes in their closet that they don't use. It's a good way to give back," she said.

David Graben, executive vice president of Nashville, Tenn.-based Souls4Soles, said that without people like Sindy Hernandez, Soles4Souls couldn't have thrived.

"They are the backbone of what we do," he said.

Founded in 2004 in the aftermath of the tsunami in Southeast Asia, Soles4Souls has given away more than 5 million pairs of shoes in more than 125 countries.

Graben said that there are 300 million people in the world without shoes and that Americans have about 1.5 billion pairs of extra shoes in their closets.

"Think about giving what shoes you can," Graben said. "Or, consider running your own shoe drive."

Queen's Shoes & More is at 1939 Main St. in Watsonville in the Crossroads Shopping Center. For information about Soles4Souls, visit www.giveshoes.org.

Teen Collects More than 250 Pairs of Shoes

2009-12-21T08:13:00.004-06:00

From My Central Jersey
By Staff

FANWOOD — For his bar mitzvah project, Temple Sholom (Fanwood/Scotch Plains) religious school student Matthew Goetz chose to collect shoes for Soles4Souls, a charity that collects and distributes new and gently used shoes to those in need around the world. Throughout the month of October, Matthew collected more than 250 pairs of shoes from his family, friends, classmates and neighbors, using email, Facebook, word-of-mouth and the Temple newsletter to spread the word about his project.

As part of becoming a bar or bat mitzvah (one who is responsible for the commandments of Judaism), students at Temple Sholom are required to create a mitzvah project to show that they realize their personal responsibility to make the world a better place. Goetz chose Soles4Souls because he wanted to support an organization that helped the environment through recycling while helping people in need at the same time.

"It makes me feel good that I gave back to the community and that I helped the environment," said the 13-year-old who attends Park Middle School in Scotch Plains. "It was really exciting when the shoes I collected started filling up my basement because I know those shoes are going to help people who really need them."

Soles4Souls was conceived by Wayne Elsey, then a footwear industry executive, who wanted to contribute to the relief effort in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that struck Southeast Asia. Eisley and other industry executives sent more than 125,000 pairs of shoes to the region. A year later, when Hurricane Katrina struck, he collected more than 1 million pairs of shoes for the affected Gulf communities. The following year, Eisley founded Soles4Souls. To date, the charity has distributed more than 5 million pairs of shoes worldwide. For more information, visit www.soles4souls.org.

Girl Gives Gift of Shoes to 96 Needy Children

2009-12-17T08:34:00.000-06:00

By Ankita Rao
Correspondent Gainesville.com

Published: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 9:54 p.m.
Most gifts are opened once, wrapping paper and bows abandoned, clothes and toys displayed proudly to party guests.

But this November, 9-year-old Sophia Gravenstein's friends came with a different kind of gift - a gift that would be opened by 96 children around the world.

Sophia was watching Good Morning America a couple of months before her birthday when she saw a story about Soles4Souls - an organization that donates shoes to children in the U.S. and around the world.

The shoes are not just to protect feet from cuts and infection.

They can also be a requirement for going to school, getting a job or replacing losses after a disaster.

Sophia decided that for her birthday party in November, her friends could help her support the effort by bringing slightly used or new shoes instead of gifts.

"There's a lot of activities that involve shoes that are fun, and it would be helping people at the same time," she said.

Sophia created invitations on the computer with images from the Soles4Souls Web site. She said it took her a week to make with the corrections and pictures.

Her mother, DeAnn Gravenstein, spoke to the organization and got a DVD to show the party guests who the shoes have helped in the past.

"It gives me goose bumps, I'm very proud," DeAnn said.

With 15 friends coming, Sophia and her parents set out a cardboard box, expecting about 20 pairs of shoes.

Sophia's father, Ditricht Gravenstein, organized a scavenger hunt for shoelaces. The girls decorated the laces with fabric markers and their own designs.

Ditricht said the family discusses being grateful and giving to those who need a helping hand. But he was still surprised when he heard Sophia's plan for her birthday.

"Kids can be a bit self-centered, but she was thrilled," Ditricht said. "She was always somebody who said she would do things herself."

By the end of the party, they needed an extra cardboard box. Ninety-six pairs of shoes were waiting to be shipped to Souls4Soles.

"It felt good to think about other people besides yourself," Sophia said.

Her idea didn't stop with blowing out her candles. Sophia's friends were inspired to have their own parties surrounding a cause.

Her neighbor, Annika Sawyer, will collect toys for an orphanage that her grandparents support. Another classmate is asking friends to bring animal feed for abused animals.

"The notion that you can have a party and fun around a charitable activity has to resonate," Ditricht said.

As for the 96 shoes, Sophia can choose where they will go to through Souls4Souls.

Her mother said she was thinking about Panama since a family friend came from the Latin American country. But Sophia said she isn't sure yet.

"Just the country needing the most shoes," she said.

Soles4Souls to buy headquarters

2009-12-16T08:33:00.001-06:00

Nashville Business Journal

Soles4Souls Inc., which donates millions of shoes a year to children around the world, has signed a contract to purchase a 13,500-square-foot headquarters building at 319 Martingale Road in Old Hickory.

"We are so excited to be moving into a permanent home here in Middle Tennessee," Wayne Elsey, founder and CEO, said in a news release. "For five years we have been renting various spaces and constantly dealing with the challenges of managing someone else's property. Today, however, we can say with pride that we have established firm roots in Nashville," he said.

Elsey established the charity after seeing the effects of the Asian tsunami in December 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After each tragedy, he marshalled his contacts in the footwear industry in order to send donations — a quarter million shoes to Southeast Asian and more than a million to the Gulf Coast. He founded Soles4Souls to build on those efforts.

Elsey said the charity, which employs 40 people, plans to open international chapters and build "a state-of-the-art warehouse" as it continues to grow. Locations are still being considered for the warehouse, executive vice president David Graben said.

The new headquarter building will allow the charity to move its Nashville holding facility and its corporate offices under the same roof. The company also has holding facilities in Las Vegas and Sheldon, Iowa, and well as a processing facility in Roanoke, Ala., from which donations are shipped worldwide.

Soles4Souls collects footwear from show companies as well as from the closets of donors. It has given away more than 6 million pairs of shoes since 2005. Executive vice president David Graben ssaid the charity estimates that 300 million children worldwide lack a pair of shoes, while 1.2 billion shoes sit in American closets. Visit www.giveshoes.org for information about donating

Results in on "Think Kindess" Manitowoc Challenge

2009-12-15T08:29:00.002-06:00

Herald Times Reporter • December 14, 2009

Totals are in from the recent “Think Kindness” challenge at nine Manitowoc-area elementary schools.

Students documented 27,355 acts of kindness total over 15 days during October and November, according to a release.

Magee Elementary School in Two Rivers came out on top among the schools, with 5,083 acts of kindness, the release said.

The top classroom total came from St. Peter the Fisherman School in Two Rivers, where one class documented 1,105 kind acts.

Each school documented at least 1,625 acts of kindness, the release said.

Program founder Brian Williams travels to schools around the country, challenging each school he visits to commit and document 5,000 acts of kindness in the 15 days.

Williams’ program is partnered with Soles4Souls, a national organization that collects and distributes shoes around the world to those who need them. Part of the kindness challenge at the schools is for students to collect shoes, as well.

Students collected 2,080 pairs of shoes through their schools and a shoe drive, which have been shipped to Soles4Souls.

Steppin’ Birkenstock Shoes in Princeton announces shoe drive

2009-12-14T08:36:00.001-06:00

By: Liz Riegel
phillyBurbs.com

Steppin’ Birkenstock Shoes announced it is hosting a shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls Inc., the international footwear charity that delivers shoes to needy people around the world.

During the shoe drive, Steppin’ Birkenstock Shoes will be offering a $5 giftcard for every pair donated (not to exceed 5 pairs) to all customers who bring in gently worn pairs of shoes toward the effort. The shoe drive will end on Dec. 24, 2009. Steppin’ Birkenstock Shoes is located at 12 Chambers Street Princeton, NJ 08542.

In addition, Steppin’ Birkenstock is offering a 10 percent discount on all online sales from now until Dec. 24, 2009, as part of the campaign.

For more information on how you can get involved with this shoe drive and take advantage of the discount toward a new pair of shoes, contact Jimmy Jimenez at (609)921-8411. You can also visit their website at www.SteppinBirkenstock.com.

People and companies interested in donating or learning more about Soles4Souls can visit www.giveshoes.org.

Soles4Souls to be Featured on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"

2009-12-11T06:00:00.002-06:00

December 8, 2009) Soles4Souls, the shoe charity dedicated to giving shoes to people in need, will be featured prominently on an upcoming episode of ABC’s hit television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. In the episode, the charity is helping a devoted mom who is trying to provide for her family by giving back to her community with the gift of shoes.

Delores Powell, a Jamaican immigrant who moved to United States in search of the American dream, has struggled to make ends meet. After becoming a US citizen, she and her four children moved to Buffalo, NY in 2002 in search of affordable housing. After a year of living in an apartment, Dolores found what she believed was the jackpot: a six bedroom “fixer upper.” The seller failed to mention the home was on the city’s demolition list and as a result, Delores had to beg the city for leniency. They agreed, and she has spent the last five and half years repairing it, but the home is still unlivable.

Despite all of the trials, Delores still finds time to volunteer in her community through a local grassroots non-profit called “PUSH Buffalo,” that works to rebuild and improve the West Side of Buffalo.

“We are honored to be a part of such a unique and inspirational story,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “To be able to share in the show’s message of hope and see a community touched by a woman who needed help herself is a true testament to how one person can make a difference.”

We will update you soon on the air date that is coming soon. Thanks for helping us change the world one pair at a time.

An Inspiring Story About Paying it Foward

2009-12-10T08:56:00.000-06:00

Pay it forward, then wait for the miracle

By Jay Turner
Citizen Staff
(Taken from the Canton Citizen)

As longtime Computershare employee Maureen Palermo stood in a conference room at the company’s Canton offices on a recent Friday afternoon, surrounded by hundreds of stuffed animals, coloring books and other small children’s toys, she was reminded of the boxes that sat for months, almost frozen in time, in her late daughter’s room.

This photo of Daniel, Lisa and Mark Palermo was taken a few years ago. Daniel passed away in August 2007 and Lisa died 14 months later. Mark is currently in desperate need of a double lung transplant
Those boxes, filled with old Beanie Babies and other stuffed animals and marked “Project Smile,” had been all Lisa’s idea, recalls her mother. Even in her last year of life, when she was in and out of the hospital and sick more often than she was well, she never stopped thinking of others or giving of herself — not even when she was the one most in need of a gift.

In Lisa’s case, that gift was a new set of healthy lungs, the same gift that her older brother Daniel could have used and one that her eldest brother Mark now desperately needs. For all three had been born with cystic fibrosis — an inherited disease that primarily affects the lungs and digestive tract — and yet they all lived “pretty normal lives” until reaching their teens, when the disease took hold and refused to let go.

The Palermos lost Daniel in August 2007, just two months after he graduated from Medfield High School, where he had thrived as a member of the school’s drama club. Fourteen months later, they said goodbye to their only daughter, an Irish step dancer with a heart of gold, who fell victim to a blood infection just one day after being told that lungs had become available.

Now Mark, a former high school athlete who should be a senior at UMass Amherst, is at home in Medfield instead, struggling to breathe and completely deaf from the medications he now takes, and waiting for a double lung transplant from the Cleveland Clinic after being added to the list this past August.

“Basically, when it takes a hold of them they deteriorate very quickly,” explained Maureen, who has since learned as much as humanly possible about CF and remains active in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, including leading a team of walkers every May for the past 20 years.

Maureen said Lisa also enjoyed walking before she grew too sick to do so, and she even formed her own team, Lisa’s Sunshine Squad, and designed her own “bright yellow and pink t-shirts” for all her teammates to wear.

***

Maureen admits that she had no idea what Project Smile was when Lisa first began pillaging her room for stuff to share with children in need. Then again, Lisa had always been a self-starter when it came to helping others — twice she had donated her hair to Locks of Love, and she even got Daniel and some of their cousins to join in the effort as well.

Project Smile, it turns out, is a Hopedale-based nonprofit organization that “donates various children’s items to police and fire departments for police officers, firefighters and paramedics to give to children involved in traumatic situations.”

So when Maureen began brainstorming different causes that her department at Computershare could contribute to this holiday season, she immediately thought of those boxes that Lisa had left behind in her room.

A year ago, just a month after Lisa’s passing, Maureen said she and her coworkers had somehow managed to organize a major fundraising effort — complete with multiple bake sales and raffles — and ended up collecting more than $2,400 to donate to various causes, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

But that turned out to be more work than anyone had expected, and with the economy still sputtering this year, Maureen figured she could “still do something charity-wise,” but in a way that did not require people to open up their wallets or checkbooks.

She eventually settled on two groups: Project Smile and a Nashville-based shoe charity called Soles4Souls, which collects and distributes shoes all over the world to people in need. Meanwhile, around the same time, a nearby department decided to take up a collection for the Canton Food Pantry, and before long employees from all over the building began chipping in to all three causes.

“I actually ended up with a whole lot more than I ever expected,” said Maureen, who recently stopped taking collections after filling several boxes with both toys and shoes.

And it didn’t require all that much effort on her part, other than sending a few emails and putting in a couple of extra hours to sort through the donation piles. She said she planned on taking what couldn’t be used by either Project Smile or Soles4Soles to a local Goodwill, and this past week her staff oversaw a bake sale hoping to raise enough money to ship the donated shoes to Tennessee.

“A lot of times people are willing to participate [in charity efforts], but they don’t necessarily want to be the ones in charge,” said Maureen, who described her staff of 13 as leaders when it comes to giving and “very, very good for anything.”

She said there was even one occasion, shortly after Lisa passed away, that her coworkers surprised her with an “envelope full of cash” for her to give to the CF Foundation.

“They’re a good group,” she said of her coworkers, “and they’re all pretty in touch with the fact that there’s a lot of need out there.”

***

If Maureen ever decided to take a year off from charity work, no one would question her, not even for a second.

But just like Lisa when she was sick, Maureen isn’t looking for any excuses; she’s looking to do what she can to help others. So there she was on a Friday afternoon, sifting through piles of stuffed animals and thinking of her own kids when they were young and healthy and strong.

She said there are still times, even now, when she wonders how she and her husband, Charles, could have had “three out of three,” despite the fact that each child had just a 25 percent chance of being born with the disease.

But even after Daniel’s diagnosis, then Mark’s, then Lisa’s, she remembers the doctors telling her not to worry too much, as the gene that causes CF had recently been identified. “People thought a cure was coming,” she said, as if making sure to phrase it in the past tense.

Yet she certainly hasn’t abandoned all hope — not yet — and neither has Mark, who she said has “every intention of returning to UMass” one day to resume his mechanical engineering studies and his life as he once knew it.

She also continues to believe in the power of giving, which is why she chooses to give now and ask questions later.

“What was that movie?” she asked. “Pay it Forward? It’s kind of that same mentality.”

She has seen it work, too, like when Boston Globe columnist and Canton resident Beverly Beckham featured the Palermos in a recent column, and days later a local pilot reached out offering to fly Mark and his parents, free of charge, to the Cleveland Clinic as soon as a transplant became available. He told them to call as soon as they heard anything, and he would be at the airport within an hour, ready to go.

It has now been three months and the family is still waiting for a miracle. But as Maureen was quick to point out, there are plenty of reasons to remain hopeful, including the fact that an anonymous pilot — a man who has absolutely nothing to gain — made an incredibly generous offer back in September to a family he’d never met.

And three months later, that offer still stands.

Mandee Collects $20,000 for Soles4Souls in Month of November

2009-12-09T13:55:00.000-06:00

NEW YORK, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Mandee is proud to announce they have already raised over $20,000 in just one month as the exclusive partner this holiday season for Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity dedicated to providing shoes to people in need. From November 4,( )2009 through December 24, 2009, all 120 Mandee stores will be collecting donations of gently worn shoes, in addition to collecting a $1 donation upon check out both in-stores and online at www.mandee.com from any customer that chooses to provide further support to Soles4Souls. As a thank you for participation, each customer that donates will receive a 20% off discount coupon towards an item of their choice.

Mandee is using multiple platforms including social media, in-store promotions, and direct mailings to alert their customer base and build excitement with additional shopping incentives. Suntek Transport will be generously shipping all footwear collected to the Soles4Souls headquarters free of charge. Soles4Souls has given away more than 5.5 million pairs of new and gently worn pairs of shoes to date.

"Mandee has a long commitment to giving back to people who live in the communities where we do business," says Ken Mandelbaum, Chairman and CEO of Big M Inc., the operating company of Mandee. "We are pleased to be partnering with Soles4Souls in furthering that effort."

"Mandee is a terrific partner and we are excited they are offering customers a fun way to get involved in our mission," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "Their efforts will benefit many people in need and we are proud to have their support," he said.

It is estimated that Americans have 1.5 billion pairs of unused shoes lying in their closets. Soles4Souls can use each and every one of these pairs to make a tangible difference in someone's life.

People and companies interested in donating can visit Soles4Souls's website at www.giveshoes.org.

It's Christmas Time...Which Means Parades!

2009-12-08T10:21:00.001-06:00

This weekend, the staff of Soles4Souls decided to take a little visit to Whoville and invite the Grinch back with us. Complete with crazy hair and striped stockings...Cindy Lou Who even made a special guest appearance. Check out the photos below!

WWD.com gets the scoop on Soles4Souls

2009-12-07T08:56:00.000-06:00

Overachievers (from WWD.com)

As always, Footwear News’ Achievement Awards, held on Dec. 2 at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York, proved to be fertile ground for gabbing and gossip. Grammy Award-winning singer Ashanti, who introduced Designer of the Year Giuseppe Zanotti, took some time out from the evening to dish about her love for the shoe star. “I’ve been infatuated with Giuseppe since my first album. I’m so proud of him,” said the singer, who was wearing a dress by Los Angeles line Carmelita. The songstress, who is working on a new album, also recently inked a production deal and is busy at work producing a TV series. “I’m behind the scenes on this one. I might pop up [on the show] here and there, like Diddy or Trump, but I’m mostly behind the scenes,” she joked. Meanwhile, Zanotti and Alexandre Birman chatted in Italian, sharing their love for both Brazil and Italy and promising to meet up in Milan in the coming season. Birman, this year’s recipient of the Vivian Infantino Emerging Talent Award, told Insider he might some day consider living in New York with his new bride, Johanna. Zanotti himself was in a contemplative mood, reminiscing about his first FNAA win nine years ago — and how quickly the time has passed. “I’m not a young designer anymore. I’m old,” he said, with a bit of Zanotti sparkle. “But if you have creativity in you, it’s always there.” Tabitha Simmons, who claimed she was wearing “George’s dress” (as in Marchesa designer Georgina Chapman, who was at her table), said she was headed straight for the airport from the event. “I’m flying to Venice tonight to check on the fall collection at the factory. I told George I hope she doesn’t need this dress back before Friday!” Soles4Souls founder Wayne Elsey said over cocktails that his organization is about to get some major exposure this January, when it’s featured on an episode of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Also in January, Elsey said, Clothes4Souls will make its debut, though he was mum on specific details. And in April (busy year!), Soles4Souls will unveil a new headquarters in Nashville, Tenn., for the growing organization. “It’s going to be a great year,” Elsey said.

Arkansas State to Collect Shoes at Final Game

2009-12-03T08:05:00.000-06:00

(From WKUsports.com)

WKU's 13 seniors and their families will be recognized prior to kickoff, and fans are encouraged to wear "red" in support of the Hilltoppers. Football tickets may be purchased at any time via wkusports.com or by calling 1-800-5 BIG RED. The ticket windows at Houchens Industries - L.T. Smith Stadium will open at 2:00 p.m.
WKU's Student Athletic Advisory Committee working in conjunction with Soles4Souls, will have collection areas for anyone wishing to donate shoes to be sent to underdeveloped countries throughout the world.

Fans may begin tailgating at 2:00 p.m., the time in which the Avenue of Champions closes to all traffic. Opening at 3:00 p.m. on South Lawn is Topper Town, which features inflatables, a kids play area and activities for children of all ages.

The Topper Walk, featuring the entire football team's walk down the Avenue of Champions from the Kentucky Museum to Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium, begins at 3:40 p.m. The players will distribute 100 T-shirts to fans during the walk.

WKU cheerleaders will throw T-shirts into the stands following each Hilltopper touchdown. The pre-game show features fireworks and the Big Red Marching Band.

For a map of all tailgating and parking areas, along with post-game traffic flow details, please see the "2009 Hilltopper Football Fan Guide" on wkusports.com.

Appleton Library Program Aids Soles4Souls

2009-12-02T07:56:00.000-06:00

(From the Post-Crescent)

APPLETON, WI— The Appleton Public Library will host a free children's program from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. Thursday in the library's Children's Program Room.

Bring a pair of new or gently worn shoes to donate to the organization Soles4Souls. The story time will feature the book "New Old Shoes" by Charlotte Blessing, followed by a craft activity making cards for those serving overseas.
The book celebrates the journey of a pair of donated shoes as they make their way around the world.

The program is free, and families are welcome.

Maryland Church Joins Effort to Cover Feet

2009-12-01T07:58:00.000-06:00

By JULIE E. GREENE
November 29, 2009
julieg@herald-mail.com

HAGERSTOWN — According to Shoes4Unity, more than 1.5 billion pairs of shoes lie idle in American closets, while more than 300 million children around the world go without shoes.

A small Washington County-based congregation is trying to make a dent in those big numbers by collecting shoes to donate to those in need.

“Everybody has excess,” said John Gamble, 66, of Greencastle, Pa. Gamble and his wife donated three pairs of shoes Sunday as he attended a service at Unity of Hagerstown at the Civil Air Patrol building behind Nick’s Airport Inn, north of Hagerstown.

Unity of Hagerstown is part of the Association of Unity Churches, which is partnering with the nonprofit Soles4Souls in the Shoes4Unity shoe drive, said Sandy Boyer, a teacher and leader with the local congregation.

The Association of Unity Churches’ goal is to collect and distribute 525,600 pairs of shoes to people in need in 2010, according to project literature. That would equal distributing one pair of shoes per minute.

Ann Sears, 67, of Waynesboro, Pa., said she collected shoes ahead of time by telling friends what the church was doing.

“I’m really excited about the whole thing,” said Sears, who brought in seven pairs of shoes, including high heels and sneakers.

Part of the effort was to go shoeless for the day to experience what that’s like, Boyer said.

Several congregation members brought donated shoes in bags so they could wear the shoes on their feet, since the tile floor was cold.

Boyer and her husband, Doug Lundgren of Brunswick, Md., went barefoot just before services started.

Cathy Hansen, 52, of Fayetteville, Pa., said she would try going shoeless. She brought a pair of gently used brown loafers that she hadn’t been wearing.

San Rogers, 68, of Hagerstown, was donating three pairs of shoes.

Unity of Hagerstown has a congregation of about 17 to 20 people from the Tri-State area, Boyer said.

“For a small group, I think we are very service-oriented,” said Boyer, who donated a pair of burgundy pumps to the shoe drive.

Anyone who wants to donate new or gently used shoes to the drive may drop them off at the church on Sundays between 10:30 a.m. and noon.

Giving Detroiters a Foot Up (Time.com)

2009-11-30T08:08:00.000-06:00

Posted by Karen Dybis Time Magazine

As Metro Detroit enters the holiday season, many non-profit organizations and businesses are planning special events to help those in need. Assignment Detroit will highlight some of these through photo essays, blog posts and the like.

This one comes from Henry Ford Hospital, where orthopedic foot specialists provided free foot screenings and handed out new shoes and socks to the homeless during the Our Hearts to Your Soles charity event Tuesday at the Neighborhood Service Organization's 24-hour Walk-in Center in Detroit.

The Our Hearts to Your Soles event is part of the national event to distribute new and gently worn shoes to needy people in 40 states.

Nashville-based Soles4Souls™ facilitates the donations of both new and used shoes, which are used to aid people worldwide. Since its inception, Soles4Souls has distributed more than five million pairs of shoes in less than five years to people in 61 countries, including Honduras, Romania, Thailand, and the Sudan.

According to Dr. David Katcherian, M.D., division head of Foot and Ankle Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital:

We gave out slightly more than 140 pairs of brand new shoes and boots and 280 pairs of new socks. The shoes and boots were of the highest quality, (RedWing, Carhart, and Conti) and were greatly appreciated by all. It was the biggest event we have had in terms of numbers of shoes, socks, and people.

Assisting me were my residents, Drs. Jason Nemitz and Ross Sherban, my medial assistant, Diana Millard, our Foot Care Nurse, Doreen Coggan, CNP, my daughter, Kristen Katcherian, and orthotists from Becker Orthopaedics, Douglas Goodnuff and Mark Vukov. We were all assisted by Mr. Dean Carpenter, MSN, FNP-BC, Family Nurse Practioner of the Neighborhood Service Organization who helped organize the process.

Read more: http://detroit.blogs.time.com/2009/11/26/giving-detroiters-a-foot-up/#ixzz0YLsX1RBf

Colt's Player and Local Orthopaedic Surgeon Help Fit Indianapolis Homeless with Shoes

2009-11-25T07:58:00.000-06:00

Dozens of men at Wheeler Mission welcome Soles4Souls aid and volunteer doctors

By Will Higgins (from the Indiana Star)

Few human body parts are subjected to the harsh treatment that homeless people's feet endure, say the homeless and their advocates.
"Ingrown toenails, corns, the dampness, the cold," said Donnie Robinette, who lived on the streets during the 1980s. "You walk everywhere, and a lot of times the shoes are worn out by the time they get to you, and they don't fit, either."

On Tuesday, dozens of homeless men at Wheeler Mission lined up eagerly for free pairs of new shoes and check-ups by physicians who specialize in treating feet.
Red Wing donated the shoes, and the doctors were volunteers from Methodist Sports Medicine. Their collaboration was arranged by the Nashville, Tenn.-based charity Soles4Souls, which since 2005 has given away more than 5 million pairs of new or nearly new shoes to homeless people.

On Tuesday 109 pairs of shoes were given away. One man was turned away -- he wore size 15 double-wide and could not be accommodated.

Fungus-infected toenails were a common sight among the men, but the most distressed feet might have been William Vaughter's. His nails resembled talons; they were so long that despite their thickness, they were twisted and grew upward.
Vaughter, 73, said trimming them with conventional toenail clippers was impossible.
Far more bothersome than the nails, Vaughter said, are the sores on the bottoms of his feet. "It kills me to walk," he said, "like having a rock up in your feet." Vaughter said he walks about 10 miles a day.
He winced as the doctor poked his feet.

"I had a guy tell me they were bunions," Vaughter told the doctor, Jonathan Smerek. Smerek said they were calluses, and they should be dug out. Vaughter said he'd take care of it.

There was no time for such a procedure Tuesday. Smerek and one colleague, David Porter, worked for two hours, each physician averaging 28 patients an hour.

They urged the men to take better care of their feet, to wash them daily and keep their toenails clipped and their skin moisturized with lotion.

The men nodded, but they've been given that advice before. Podiatrists routinely come to the Wheeler to treat them. "If there's a common denominator (among the homeless), it's foot problems," said Gene Green, Wheeler's director.

Charles "Corky" Hall, 47, said he tries to keep his feet clean, "but sometimes that just doesn't work out. The problem is all the walking, just being on your feet all the time."

The men were barefoot as they waited for their new socks and shoes.

Some of the fitting was done by Antoine Bethea, a Colts defensive back who was on a goodwill mission. Bethea worked hands-on. He introduced himself to the men and then knelt on the floor and slipped the socks, then the shoes, over their feet. Then he laced the shoes and tied the laces.

"I've never seen a homeless person's feet that close-up," Bethea said afterward. "I've had messed-up feet, too.

"If your feet hurt, that makes your day that much longer."

We're partnering with Birkenstock!

2009-11-24T07:45:00.000-06:00

Birkenstock USA, LP, a leader in comfort footwear, is proud to announce a partnership with Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity. From November 16, 2009 through January 5, 2010, participating Birkenstock retailers across the nation will be collecting donations, both monetary and of footwear, as part of their Give the Gift of Comfort Holiday Promotion.

Every 9 seconds, Soles4Souls gives away another pair of shoes to someone in need. The shoe charity has earned glowing endorsements from Hollywood stars and professional athletes, but the people that truly make the non-profit organization effective are those who clean out their closets to personally drop off their ‘gently worn’ shoes at a participating location..

"Soles4Souls makes such a difference in the lives of so many and has really helped us to ensure we stay true to our core values. Health and wellness is important not only for our feet and body but also for our environment. By helping to collect and distribute gently worn shoes we can continue to spread the message that healthy comfortable footwear leads to happiness and wellbeing." said Shelly Glasgow, Director of Product Development for Birkenstock.

Soles4Souls and Birkenstock will be collecting your gently worn footwear to ship to people in need, whether they are victims of natural disasters or subject to living in extreme poverty. It is estimated that Americans have 1.5 billion pairs of unused shoes lying in their closets. The charity can use each and every one of these pairs to make a tangible difference in someone's life.

“Birkenstock is a terrific partner and we are excited they are offering customers a great way to get involved in our mission,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “Their efforts will benefit many people in need and we are proud to have their support,” he said.

Sole of Seattle

2009-11-23T07:59:00.000-06:00

Seahawks' Nate Burleson and Deion Branch held an event in Bellevue on Monday November 16the at Lucky Strike Lanes. As hosts of this charity event to benefit their foundation, we were very excited to see them give their shoes to the Sole of Seattle. While the players did bowl with their teammates and fans, we are happy to report that they did have other shoes to wear on the lanes.

Soles4souls Program Offers New Shoes for Wichita's Homeless

2009-11-20T08:14:00.000-06:00

November 20th, 2009
BY Courtney Looney

The Wichita Eagle

Kevin Duckett sat in a chair in the hall of the Union Rescue Mission on Thursday night as Jason Tanner measured his foot. Size 13.

“Let’s see what we can round up for you,” Tanner said as he headed to a storage room filled with boxes of new shoes. “I’ve got some new socks for you, too.”

Duckett, originally from Pittsburgh, was among the first to benefit from a national program that provides shoes for those in need.

Naomi Shields of Advanced Orthopaedic Associates in Wichita has been working for over a year in partnership with Soles4Souls, a nonprofit organization that holds shoe drives around the country.

“A lot of homeless walk a lot . . . and a new pair of shoes make a huge difference,” Shields said.

The Soles4Souls program is known for its contributions during natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina.

Shields said the nonprofit, which is based out of Tennessee, is making an effort to provide shoes for those who need them all over the country.

With the help of the Union Rescue Mission, 2800 N. Hill-side, Shields and her team provided 150 pairs of shoes and 100 pairs of socks to those at the shelter on Thursday night.

Other people on Shields’ team also specialize in orthopedics and helped with the drive.

“They’re bringing sizing devices and my idea is that they will be actively fitting shoes,” Shields said. “Myself and my nurse will be doing foot exams, toenail clipping and possibly

referring them to get medical treatment if needed.”

Mary Wine, administrator at Advanced Orthopaedic Associates, said it is the first time the business has taken part in a project of this size.

“We’re not doing this for our business,” Wine said. “We’re doing it for people in need.”

With the help of Red Wing Shoes, the shoes were donated.

Rick Pierson of Capital Orthopedic Center and a member of Shields’ team, was able to get a company to donate the socks.

Union Rescue Mission is a men’s homeless shelter. Shields said she didn’t want people to think the project is discriminating against women. All that was donated were men’s shoes.

The plan is to make the event bigger next year if it is as successful as anticipated, she said.

“Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for things,” Shields said. “This has become a much bigger project than just collecting a couple of pairs of shoes.”

Out in the hall, Duckett finished lacing up a pair of brown work boots.

“Looks good,” Tanner said. “How’s it feel?”

“Good,” Duckett said.

“Stand up and see they feel,” Tanner said.

“They feel good,” Duckett said. “They feel good.”

Duckett said he wasn’t expecting a new pair of shoes when he walked into the Union Rescue Mission on Thursday.

“It caught me by surprise,” he said.

Contributing: Hurst Laviana of The Eagle

Donors Use Shoes to Raise Awareness for Smoking Risks

2009-11-19T08:19:00.000-06:00

Smokeout a shoe-in: Display makes a statement, then a donation

POSTED Nov. 19, 2009 12:10 a.m.

By Melissa Weinman
mweinman@gainesvilletimes.com

Article From the Gainesvilletimes.com

Quitting can be hard, but several local organizations hope a special exhibit along Downey Boulevard today will help push people to stop smoking.

The street will be lined with 1,200 pairs of shoes — a pair for each of the 1,200 people who die each day from tobacco-related illness. The exhibit will start at the north entrance of the Northeast Georgia Medical Center and wind toward Jesse Jewell Parkway.

The shoe display is part of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, which serves as a reminder of the serious toll tobacco use takes on the population and urges people to quit.

Local organizations have collaborated to illustrate the 1,200 people who die each day from tobacco-related illnesses on Downey Boulevard in Gainesville.

"It really makes you think," said Joy Griffin, the American Cancer Society community manager for Hall County. "This is a day that we’re trying to reach tobacco users and say, today is the day to quit. This is your day, we want you to quit."

Volunteers will be along Downey Boulevard holding signs from sunrise to sunset to explain what the shoes represent.

The Lanier Georgia Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society, Northeast Georgia Health Systems and Keep Hall Beautiful joined with the American Cancer Society for today’s Great American Smokeout.

"It’s an amazing collaboration," Griffin said. "It has been a real joy to make an impact in our community to stop smoking."

Cindy Reed, the executive director of Keep Hall Beautiful, said the majority of the shoes in the display were collected by Keep Hall Beautiful to donate to Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based nonprofit that donates gently worn shoes to people across the world.

Another 500 pair of shoes were collected by Hall County students and will be donated to Soles4Souls after the Great American Smokeout.

Angie Caton, president of the Lanier Georgia Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society, challenged students at area middle schools to collect shoes for the Great American Smokeout to teach them to the dangers of tobacco use.

"Over half of the cancers we currently have could be almost totally prevented if we did not use tobacco," Caton said.

But the activity was a fun one, too.

"The homeroom that has the most shoes gets a pizza party," Caton said.

Last year was the first year the Hall County groups participated in the Great American Smokeout and Griffin said she hopes to attract even more attention this year.

"It’s raising awareness and that’s what we really want to do," Griffin said. "It’s just so important that our community gets that message.

Soles4Souls to Add Clothes (Tennesseean Article)

2009-11-18T08:30:00.000-06:00

Soles4Souls to add clothes
Elsey's vision expands to include initiatives

By Andy Humbles • THE TENNESSEAN • November 18, 2009

5 years ago on Dec. 26, Old Hickory's Wayne Elsey had an idea that led to the establishment of Soles4Souls, the Donelson-based nonprofit projected to donate more than 6 million shoes worldwide by year's end.

"We don't want to celebrate a disaster.'' Elsey said, referring to the 2004 Asian tsunami. "We want to forge forward.''

So, the international footwear charity is making plans to expand its services to include clothes, Elsey said.

Clothes4Soles could be launched in the next 12 months, according to initial business plans.

The nonprofit will continue to donate and distribute shoes. It has set a goal of distributing 30 million pairs of shoes in the next five years — five times more than what has already gone out. Numerous celebrities have associated their names and helped with fundraising events for Soles4Souls.

Clothes4Soles would operate as a separate brand, distributing clothing that is donated in similar fashion to how shoes are given. Details still are being worked out, Elsey said.

Toys, perhaps even food will be considered for distribution in the future, Elsey said.

Soles4Souls is already a charity many celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson, Amy Grant, Kellie Pickler and Jeff Fisher have signed on to help.
Several new marketing concepts and initiatives already have started as the organization looks ahead.

• A trial recycling program is underway in Georgia that Soles4Souls hopes could spread to other areas of the country including Nashville. Georgia has more than 200 recycling centers that include shoe collection for Soles4Souls.
• A much more aggressive marketing approach includes Soles4Souls aiming to reach a younger demographic with a Facebook and Twitter presence. Web advertising spots have included celebrities.
• Locally this fall Soles4Souls launched its Step Up Nashville campaign encouraging businesses to place a collection box at their office or store or to organize an employee or customer-run fundraiser.
There was also a billboard campaign that emphasized a mobile giving program to guide people to finding a nearby supporter of Soles4Souls.

On the week of Thanksgiving, Soles4Souls will organize foot care treatments for men at 35-40 rescue missions around the country and facilitate a donation of socks and a pair of Red Wing shoes.

• A new micro-business model to help individuals and families in countries where there is extreme poverty to create their own business.

The micro-business model starts with Soles4Souls giving out 100 used shoes for free. Then it charges $1 a pair after that.

Those receiving shoes can then sell those shoes or trade them for food and materials. Countries Soles4Souls is utilizing the micro-business model in include Guatemala, Honduras, Togo, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Jordan and Georgia.

"This is in regions that are extremely poor, and people set up shops in huts and are raising their income level to $15-$20 per day instead of $2 or nothing,'' Elsey said. "What we're doing is instead of giving handouts, we helpthem to make money. It costs us about 85 cents per pair and it's an excellent way to take used shoes and made good business for everyone.''

Soles4Souls operates on new and gently used shoes donated by the public, new shoes from footwear companies and monetary gifts, donations, grants and corporate sponsorships.

Churches and businesses regularly have had collection boxes and organized collection times for Soles4Souls. The organization sets up special collection times as well, some that can collaborate with other big events.

Launching Soles4Souls

After Wayne Elsey saw a single shoe on the shoreline while watching a news report at home in Old Hickory on the tsunami in 2004, Elsey, Old Hickory dentist Nelson Wilson and his brother Paul Wilson helped raise 250,000 pairs of shoes partnering with area churches for those affected by the tsunami.

A similar effort was launched by Elsey and the Wilsons for Hurricane Katrina, which led to the establishment of Soles4Souls as a formal nonprofit organization in 2006.
Elsey eventually left his position as president of Kodiak-Terra USA Inc. to become the chief executive officer of Soles4Souls.

Nelson Wilson is still a Soles4Souls board member, and Paul Wilson is the president of the organization's world outreach division out of Alabama.

15,000 Pairs of Shoes Donated in Honor of Darfur Victims

2009-11-17T08:56:00.000-06:00

Several north Jersey communities came together Sunday to remember the more than 300,000 people slain in the Darfur region of Sudan.

A display of 15,000 shoes representing those killed was held at the Westfield Garden state Plaza. Led by a North Haledon pastor, the Rev. Ken Vander Wall, more than 30 churches and at least 20 schools contributed to the collection effort.

The shoes collected will be donated to our charity to be distributed world-wide.

Meet Our Friend Anne McDonald...

2009-11-09T08:42:00.000-06:00

EDCO (Economic Development for Central Oregon) recently announced their 2009 Person of the Year, and it just happened to be our friend Anne McDonald. EDCO recognizes outstanding leadership, initiative and other contributions to the economy and community throughout the year.

Anne is the President of McDonald Placement Group. She was recognized for her community service as a volunteer for Soles4Souls (that's us!). We are so happy to have an outstanding advocate like Anne on our side, helping give back to her local community and to the global community. Anne was a shining star during our June 5th Barefoot Friday event in Portland.

We appreciate you, Anne! Congratulations on being recognized for the heart and 'sole' you put into your community.

Thanks from the Ivory Coast

2009-11-04T06:54:00.000-06:00

We recently partnered with the people of The Hanna Project to send shoes to villages throughout Africa's Ivory Coast.

The Hanna Project was created in 2004 to specifically target the hard-to-reach areas of the world. Areas that most of the world knows very little about. Recognizing the dire conditions and desperate needs, THP invests time and patience in building relationships to gain right of entry into those areas.

Sabrina Yaw from Hanna sent us a emotional description of the area they visited and what a difference the shoe donation from Soles4Souls made.

“As you can see in the picture the people who live in the villages in which we visited in the Northwest corner of Cote d’Ivoire have very little in the way of material resources. These villagers often walk miles simply for water over treacherous and rocky terrain. Thanks to Soles for Souls generosity the shoes we distributed will help make their daily lives easier by making their journey a little less painful. As we traveled from village to village in February of this year one thing that was prevalent was the large number of people with preventable wounds on their feet. Due to their limited medical resources the simplest of cuts turn into massive life threatening infections. It is our belief that being able to put shoes on their feet will help reduce the number of critical incidents these natives experience. Thanks again for your wonderful generosity.”

Introducing Our Newest Spokesperson...

2009-11-03T11:44:00.000-06:00

Callie's Sole 4 Souls presentation from Joe Van Deuren on Vimeo.