Paper, Plastics, and Shoes? Georgia Recycling Coalition Announces Placement of Shoe Recycling Bins at Drop-off Locations to Benefit Soles4Souls.

Georgia residents are invited to recycle their 'gently worn' shoes for people in need...

Now, along with their soda cans and old newspapers, Georgia residents can bring their gently worn shoes to recycling drop-off locations throughout the state. In partnership with Soles4Souls®, the GRC announces they will place specially designated bins at their locations to offer an environmentally friendly alternative to residents throwing their worn shoes away.

"We are delighted to be involved with an effort in Georgia to reduce potential waste while supporting a philanthropic cause. Repurposing shoes that we no longer wear is something that everyone can understand and easily accomplish through local community collection programs," said Gloria Hardegree, Executive Director, Georgia Recycling Coalition.

The recycled shoes will be shipped to Soles4Souls who will distribute them to some of the 1.5 billion people world-wide without shoes.

"We are proud to partner with the Georgia Recycling Coalition in this call to action," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls, Inc. "This initiative will not only help put shoes on the feet of those in need, but it also furthers the global effort to reuse."

It is estimated, every year millions of shoes across the globe end up in landfills or are disposed of in some other way. Soles4Souls will take your gently worn shoes and repurpose them in one of 125 countries around the world. A small percentage which cannot be distributed will be recycled.

People and companies interested in donating or learning more about the GRC initiative can visit the organization's website at www.giveshoes.org.

Salem (MA) Store Collects Shoes for Soles4Souls

Store's shoe collection good for the sole

By Cate Lecuyer
staff writer, The Salem News

BEVERLY — Most people have extra sneakers lying around.

And most people throw them out when they clean out their closets, said Wes Lassen, manager of New England Running Company.

However, he hopes that will change. The business recently began collecting gently worn shoes. People can drop them off in a bin, and they'll go to charity.

"It's giving it to needy kids all over the world," Lassen said.

Over the years, many customers have asked if the business recycles shoes, so they decided to start, he said.

New England Running Company has partnered with Soles4Souls, a Tennessee nonprofit that donates more than 4 million pairs of shoes a year to underprivileged people in more than 70 countries.

Although New England Running specializes in sneakers, Soles4Souls welcomes any kind of shoes, from women's dress to hiking boots, said Chris Carmichael, communications director for the nonprofit. Children's athletics are in particularly high demand.

"Kids grow out of shoes so fast, and it's something we're always in need of," Carmichael said.

The organization formed after the 2004 tsunami that devastated coastal areas around the Indian Ocean and killed more than 200,000 people. Carmichael said the donations now go many different people, including victims of natural disasters, those living in extreme poverty, and women overcoming domestic violence.

"It's one of the most simple yet profound gifts you can make, because it will greatly improve someone's life in the most difficult of times," said founder and CEO Wayne Elsey.

Carmichael said the donations should be in good shape.

"The general rule of thumb is anything you would wear yourself," he said. But if you think they belong in the trash, send them anyway. If they're unusable, instead of throwing them out, the nonprofit grinds them up into a soft rubber and asphalt material that's used to surface playgrounds and running tracks.

Lassen estimates New England Running has collected close to 200 shoes so far and is hoping for more.

"We've filled that bin up three times in the last three weeks," he said. "The word is spreading."

Staff writer Cate Lecuyer can be reached at clecuyer@salem news.com.

Think Outside the Recycling Bin

[from WJHG.com]

As the winter season comes to an end and Floridians begin to think about spring cleaning, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, or DEP, encourages residents to apply the 3 Rs -- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle -- and discover ways to recycle items that may not normally be considered recycle-friendly.

"We all understand the importance of recycling," said Mary Jean Yon, Director of DEP's Division of Waste Management. "Reducing waste can also help keep our landfills from filling up. Most people think of recycling newspapers, cans and bottles, but your closets, desks and drawers are filled with items that can also be recycled."

Tips and resources for practicing the 3 Rs while de-cluttering your home or office:

Athletic shoes - Local running clubs often collect athletic shoes for charitable causes such as homeless shelters and women's refuge houses. Soles4Souls collects gently worn shoes of all kinds and donates them to those in need (www.soles4souls.org).

Soles4Souls 4 Jesse Knowles

14-year-old with Cancer Inspires Footwear Drive

C&L Recycling in Clarksville, Tennessee, Join Forces with Soles4Souls to Collect Shoes and Funds

Jesse Knowles is a fighter. Despite having an extremely rare form of cancer -- brain tumor cancer -- Jesse remains incredibly upbeat and is inspiring hundreds of people with his story. One of the unique ways people are getting behind Jesse is with a footwear drive to benefit needy people around the world, while raising funds for his battle against cancer at the same time.

C&L Recycling Center in Clarksville has partnered with Soles4Souls, the international footwear charity dedicated to providing free footwear to people in need around the world. While the collected shoes will go to needy people in the U.S. and around the world, all funds collected during the drive will be deposited into a fund to help Jesse and his family pay his medical bills.

"Jesse is an incredible inspiration to all of us," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "His amazing faith in God and his tenacity in facing this situation is remarkable, and we applaud his courage. We want to thank C&L Recycling for hosting this shoe drive and fundraiser and invite all of our friends to get involved," he said.

C&L Recycling Inc. is located at 1515 C Vista Lane, Clarksville TN 37043. Visitors are encouraged to bring gently worn shoes to the center and donate a few dollars that will be deposited into a fund for Jesse Knowles. To read Jesse's story, visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/jesseknowles.