Stan's Share-A-Pair for Soles4Souls

Was one of your New Year's resolutions to help those less fortunate this year but the tough economy is preventing you from doing so? Is your closet overflowing with shoes? If so and you live in the Greater Milwaukee, WI area, here is the perfect opportunity to help others while clearing out your clutter - our friends at Stan's Fit For Your Feet will be hosting their "Third Annual Share A Pair" shoe drive from Sunday, February 1 thru Saturday, February 28.

People can drop off their new or gently used shoes Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or Sundays from Noon to 5 p.m. at any of the "Share A Pair" collection bins at Stan's Greenfield store in the Layton Plaza at 7405 W. Layton Ave., Stan's Brookfield store, in V. Richard's Plaza at 17155 W. Bluemound Road or Stan's Glendale store across from Bay Shore Town Center at 505 W. Silver Spring Drive.

Admirals' fans attending the Sunday, February 15 afternoon game will also have the opportunity to "Share A Pair" at a special drop off location within the Bradley Center.

The annual shoe drive, hosted by Stan's Fit For Your Feet, has collected nearly 10,000 gently used pairs of shoes from Greater Milwaukee residents since its inception. All donated shoes are passed onto Soles4Souls. In addition, Stan's employees personally deliver and fit shoes for many of the area's homeless who frequent Milwaukee's Repairers of the Breach homeless shelter.

"We hope the residents of Greater Milwaukee will brave the cold and snow to once again embrace our shoe drive," said Jim Sajdak, owner of Stan's Fit For Your Feet. "The poor economy is impacting so many people and the need to reach out to others who are less fortunate has never been greater."

"This is a really easy way to help Soles4Souls and Repairers of the Breach who are both doing incredible things for the less fortunate people in our world," continued Sajdak, "We'd like to encourage everyone to bring in that pair of gently used shoes that doesn't fit quite right or that they no longer wear. Join the cause, and clean out the clutter of your closet."

As a way of saying thank you, people donating shoes at Stan's Fit For Your Feet will receive a $10 gift certificate to be used towards a footwear purchase during February at any Stan's Fit For Your Feet location.

For more information on the "Share A Pair" shoe drive, visit stansfootwear.com or call 262-432-4030. Stan's is locally owned and operated. It has been in business since 1950, and specializes in quality footwear from around the world. Its three stores are home to Wisconsin's largest collection of regular and hard to find shoe sizes.

Jim Sajdak on NBC-4 in Milwaukee

Jim Sajdak, the owner of Stan’s Fit For Your Feet shoe stores in the Milwaukee area appeared Live on NBC 4 (TMJ) last week to talk about the Share A Pair Drive. Stan's is hosting the second annual shoe drive, that will last for the entire month of February. Sajdak has pledged that a portion of the shoes will be going to local shelters and charities in the area.

"We've been in business for 58 years here and it has always been important for us to give back to the community," said Sajdak. "The shoe drive just seemed like a natural thing to do. Our staff and customers are very passionate about it."

This year, local schools and businesses are joining Stan's to try to eclipse last year's mark of over 5,000 pair collected. For every customer donating a new or gently used pair of shoes, Stan's will be offering a $10 discount on new merchandise.

The remaining footwear collected will be donated to Soles4Souls for distribution around the world. For more information, visit http://www.stansfootwear.com/.

"Share a Pair" in Milwaukee

Stan's Fit for your Feet is hosting the second annual "share a pair" shoe drive during the entire month of February. They will be collecting new and gently used shoes of all types, sizes and styles.

"We'll take boots, casual shoes, athletic shoes, sandals, whatever you got," said owner Jim Sajdak in a television interview on Fox 6 in Milwaukee. "There is a need for all kinds of footwear for all kinds of people."

Most of the shoes will be sent to Soles4Souls for distribution, which will inspect them send them to countries in need. Some will be given locally to area shelters and other charities. Last year, Stan's Fit for your Feet collected an astounding 5,000 pairs of shoes in a single month.

As a way of saying "thank you", Stan's will be handing out $10 gift certificates to anyone and everyone donating a usable pair of footwear. Stan's has three stores located in Glendale, Greenfield and Brookfield. Folks can drop off their shoes Monday through Friday at 9:30am-9pm, Saturday 9:30am-5:30pm or Sunday from noon to 5pm.

Stan's fit for your Feet

Add Jim Sajdack, the owner of Stan's Fit for Your Feet, to the list of those in the footwear industry who want to do more than just sell shoes. He wants to give them away. Affected by the images he saw from Hurricane Katrina, Sajdack felt compelled to help in the department in which he knows best: shoes.
So Jim Sajdack called on the help of Soles4Souls and he and the community of Greenfield helped over 5,000 people with new and gently used shoes he started collecting at his three stores in Brookfield, Glendale and Greenfield.
"This was a great opportunity to help the nation and the world." Sajdack said. "This is such an essential piece of clothing, to work, to function. It's just so essential."
As it turned out, he had plenty of support. A classroom at a parochial school in Mequon decided to help by collecting 380 pairs of shoes. One person brought in 50 pairs of shoes while others trickled into the store with one and two pairs they found in their closet.
"It was a win-win for everyone and it was gratifying to see the response people had for this cause," he said. Collected on April 6, the shoes were boxed and put into a shipping container that will be sent to Tanzania, where they will be distributed to people suffering from AIDS.
Even though the shoe drive has officially ended, Sajdack said he still gets voicemails from people asking if they can donate.
"Sure, I tell them, we'll do this again next year and make it an annual thing."