Soles4Souls Partners with Race With Purpose

Soles4Souls and Race with Purpose is providing running shoes to students in New York City public school track and fitness programs. More than 150 students from KIPP AMP Academy in Brooklyn, Bethgate High School, and Louis Brandeis High School will receive new running shoes on December 17th and 18th in an effort to change the lives of student athletes.

The shoes are going to students participating in under-funded fitness and running programs. Many of these students’ families do not have the financial means to provide running shoes for their children.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Race with Purpose this holiday season,” said Wayne Elsey, founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “This donation will allow these student athletes to improve physically and emotionally. Providing footwear to those in need within the United States has been and will continue to be a priority for Soles4Souls.”

Race with Purpose provides opportunities to combine passion for community service with athletic performance. Race with Purpose offers adult athletes of all abilities the chance to successfully train for and complete goal races while raising crucial funds for youth-wellness causes. Through their participation, team members often have life-changing experiences of their own, while changing the lives of thousands of children.

Race with Purpose is an adult endurance-sports training program whose members raise money for youth-wellness charities. Team members train for and compete in goal races, such as marathons, while raising crucial donations for nonprofit organizations that are most successful in helping disadvantaged children lead healthy, active lives. For more information about Race with Purpose, visit http://www.racewithpurpose.org/.

Sole-full store gets new home

A star-studded celebration marked the recent opening of Johnston & Murphy, an upscale men’s footwear and accessories brand and retail store at the Hill Center. The event —an evening of shopping, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and music — was hosted by broadcaster Mike Keith, “the Voice of The Titans.”

Titans’ linebacker Keith Bulluck was on hand to mingle with guests and sign autographs, and a portion of the party’s proceeds from sales went to the Keith Bulluck Believe and Achieve Foundation. The football player’s eponymous organization raises money to aid foster care groups in middle Tennessee and New York. Johnson & Murphy also donated shoes to Soles4Souls, a nonprofit that collects shoes to give to people in need, in honor of Bulluck.

After years at a much smaller location at The Mall at Green Hills, Johnston & Murphy’s new 2,496 square-foot location has allowed it to include a full range of products including footwear, apparel, outerwear, luggage, small leather goods and other accessories.

Student Athletes Receive Running Shoes

To everyone involved with Soles4Souls and Race with Purpose, I am writing to express my great appreciation and gratitude for the sneakers that was provided for my student-athletes. I am a new teacher, coach and athletic director at a new school here in the South Bronx. At Validus Preparatory Academy, where I am the Fitness Teacher, we focus on the health and fitness of our students. We are trying to encourage our students to find enjoyment in their own well-being and to engage in a physically active lifestyle.

The students on the cross country team were the first varsity student athletes to compete in NYC's Public School Athletic League. These students built a cross country team from scratch. They made a commitment to the team, set goals and they ran their hearts out nearly everyday of the week for 3 months. The team grew in numbers, fans and dreams as we raced each Saturday in Van Cortlandt Park, rain or shine. These kids earned the right to call themselves long distance runners. I am very proud and thankful for their commitment.

Many of these young runners started practice every day in a pair of old basketball sneakers or other unsuitable shoes. I encouraged them to try to find affordable upgrades, but it wasn't that simple. Thanks to your gift of shoes, you have helped them dedicate themselves to achieving their goals.

We will keep you posted as they participate in their first Indoor Track season this winter. They are excited to see what they can do with new sneakers on their feet and more miles under their belts. I also want to send a special thanks to Dave Edwards for being so kind and helpful in his coordination of the donation. He did a great job in presenting the sneakers and was even willing to get out there and race my kids! Thank you Sole4Souls and Race with Purpose! Keep up the great work!

Sincerely,
Erica Crane

BMDMI - Mission to Honduras

Dear Soles4Souls,

On behalf of the 67 team members who traveled to Intibucca, Honduras in July 2007, I would like to thank you for your generous support of our mission. Thanks to your donation, over 3500 people, many of whom came to us bare-footed, were fitted with shoes. To see the joy on the face of a mother as her children squealed with delight to have a new pair of shoes, or to see the men able to go back into the fields with decent protection for their feet let us see how something so simple and basic as a pair of shoes could make such a profound difference in someone's life. The traditional services we have provided are Medical (to include pharmaceutical and eyeglasses), Dental and Veterinary. This year, thanks to the help of Soles4Souls we were able to distribute shoes for the first time.

Our "Shoe Team" consisted of four adults, six teenagers and three Honduran interpreters. The people of this area were desperate for shoes, so they patiently waited in line for hours, as the team worked to measure their feet and distribute the correct shoes. Many of the Honduran people had feet that were deformed and had bunions from years of wearing shoes that were too small. The Honduran people are small and have small feet, so by the second day we ran out of many of the smaller sizes, but they gladly took larger shoes in order to have something to protect their feet.

The effect of the donated shoes in incalculable. Men and women could safely work to provide for their families. Children could run and play safely. The incidence of parasites and disease, which often enters through the feet, has undoubtedly been greatly reduced. These shoes may ultimately have as much effect in improving the lives of the people of Intibucca as our other ministries.

In closing, on behalf of the Baptist Medical and Dental Mission international, the DeFidder Field Team of BMDMI, and the people of Intibucca, Honduras, I want to thank you for your kind and generous donation of shoes. The benefits of these shoes cannot be overstated. We intend to make shoes a continuing part of our program. We hope that Soles4Souls will be able to support us in our 2008 mission.

Sincerely,

Rod Pollard
DeFidder Field Team Captain
Baptist Medical and Dental Mission International

Store Collecting Shoes for Needy

The Foot Performance Center in Rochester NY is hosting a shoe drive through Thursday, December 2oth to benefit Soles4Souls. The store is a Henrietta shoe and orthotics retailer that provides foot care for every walk of life.

Customers who bring in slightly used shoes for donation will receive a $10 discount toward a shoe purchase. Foot Performance Center is at 3385 Brighton-Henrietta Town Line Road.

For more information, call (585) 473-5950.

Student Shoe Collectors on NBC17.com

Students from Ravenscroft in Raleigh are helping others throughout the world with the gift of shoes. Third graders Ryan Gerard and Allison Arber know the importance of wearing shoes.

"People who don't have shoes could get splinters in their feet," Arber said.

So the kids launched a shoe drive at their school for the charity Soles4Souls. On the very first day students filled the bin with gently worn shoes.

"It makes me feel really good. It's helping people and I like to help people," Gerard said.

The tsunami's devastation in southeast Asia sparked a former shoe company executive to establish the first shoe drive for the charity Souls4Soles. Donors shipped 250,000 shoes to disaster victims. Hurricane Katrina followed and another outpouring of support with 750,000 pair of shoes. Most recently, 50,000 soles to help people devastated by California's wildfires.

The footwear industry supports the charity as well as grassroots efforts from schools like Ravenscroft. Adults and children brought in bags of new shoes or gently used shoes.
They filled bin after bin for 11 days.

"I thought we'd only get 100 pairs, but we are over that," Arber said.

Gerard and Arber can be proud. Their school donated 500 pairs of shoes. Now the shoes go to a New Balance store off Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh where the owners will foot the shipping bill to the charity’s main warehouse in Alabama. Owner Mark Allard said he'll take and ship even more donations through the end of the year.

“One and a half billion pairs of shoes are in Americans closets right now unused sitting there out of style, don't fit. People's unwanted pairs are sometimes some people's only pair or first pair of shoes in the world," Allard said.

Shoes Collected at Titans Game

Tennessee Titans Fans attending last Sunday's game vs the Houston Texans donated over 3,000 pairs of shoes to Soles4Souls. 40 volunteers at 6 collection points were used during a 4-hour duration at LP field. An equal number of the shoes collected will stay in the middle Tennessee area.

“Soles4Souls would like to thank the kind and giving people of Middle Tennessee for supplying such a simple gift, the gift of shoes," stated David Graben, the manager of events at Soles4Souls. "We have currently distributed over 4,500 pairs of shoes to the Nashville Men’s and Women’s Rescue Missions, Elementary Schools, YWCA and the TN School for the Blind in the past six months. This with numerous smaller individual distributions will continue to be a key focus of our organization, helping people in our hometown of Nashville Tennessee, as well as around the world.”

There was tremendous feedback from the Titans organization regarding the shoe collection. Soles4Souls and The Titans plan to make this an annual event at LP Field and be on the ticket for the 2008/2009 season.

RackedWire: Piperlime's Charity Shoe In

Seen on Racked.com

When the holiday season rolls around people think about giving: buying gifts for their friends and family and donating money, time, food or clothing to charities. Shoe website Piperlime is having a little fun with its charity effort this year. For the next week, the company is rolling gigantic silver high heels throughout the city. They're drop boxes where people can deposit gently-used shoes, which will then be given to Soles4Souls.

Girl About Town helps Soles4Souls

Carol Han, the stylish gal known as The Girl About Town donated shoes at the Piperlime and Soles4Souls stiletto in downtown New York. Han is a fashion blogger for Elle.com and she found some fashion benefits to the "giving season".

Tis' the Season

By Carol Han

I got a call from PR pal Stephanie about a charity called Soles4Souls that Piperlime.com (fab online shoe store) is participating in. Basically, you donate "gently used" pairs of shoes that you don’t need anymore, and not only will you be helping a person in need, Piperlime will give an additional $1 for every pair to the program. Naturally, the accessories closet immediately got cleaned and I ran down to the shoe station to do my part.

And the best part? This is going on for four more days; so if you're in NY, get thee to a station! Deets below:

12/6 and 12/7 at Grand Central Terminal (Park Ave at 42nd) from 8-6.

12/10 and 12/11 at the Flatiron Building (5th Ave at 23rd Street) from 8-6.

Titans Keith Bulluck named Walter Payton Man of the Year

The Tennessee Titans announced today that linebacker Keith Bulluck has been named the 2007 Titans Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner. This is Bulluck’s second consecutive year to garner the award as he was selected by a majority vote from his teammates, Titans staff, members of the news media and local non-profit and community executives for his dedicated community service.

“I am pleased that Keith is being recognized for more than he does on the field," said Coach Jeff Fisher. "He is a terrific player and is committed to making our community a better place.”

The Keith Bulluck Believe & Achieve Foundation raises thousands of dollars on an annual basis to benefit children in foster care as well as underprivileged children. He also recently hosted a VIP reception at Johnston and Murphy where proceeds from this event benefited his foundation as well as Soles4Souls. Both organizations are non profit and are committed to making a difference in the lives of others.

For the younger kids, Bulluck hosts an annual “Back to School” Book Bag Party to promote the importance of education and being prepared for school. He invited foster children from the Department of Children Services to a 2007 Titans training camp visit, where they were able to watch practice, get autographs and receive book bags and school supplies for the upcoming school year. Bulluck donated 300 book bags filled with school supplies and also donated 600 pairs of shoes through Soles4Souls to these children in DCS custody.

S4S in NY Daily News

Put your best foot forward. Piperlime and Soles4Souls present "Give Shoes Be Merry" to help the less fortunate. Donate gently used shoes at drop boxes in Grand Central, Mars 2112 lounge and the Flatiron District (on 23rd St. and Fifth Ave.) and receive a $15 gift certificate to Piperlime. 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; free admission. Visit http://www.soles4souls.org/ for more information.

Soles4Souls on WhoAreAmericans.com

Soles4Souls is featured on WhoAreAmericans.com, the web site you can browse to learn more about Americans. There are thousands of domestic and foreign websites that are filled with myths, hatred and criticism towards the USA and Americans. WhoAreAmericans.com is a website that helps people around the world learn about and discuss American life with Americans. Soles4Souls is featured as an American charity dedicated to a global mission.

Soles4Souls is a registered charity which helps individuals, churches, civic groups, retailers and shoe companies donate new and used shoes to needy people worldwide.

Following the 2004 Asian tsunami, Wayne Elsey, the founder of Soles4Souls, called some fellow executives in the shoe industry and collected about 250,000 pairs of shoes for the tsunami victims. A year later when Hurricane Katrina hit the USA, another 750,000 shoes were sent to the hurricane victims. One year later the charity Soles4Souls was created.

Shoes have been distributed to over 40 countries - including Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Swaziland, Sudan (Darfur), Uganda, Romania, Iraq, Peru, Thailand and Nepal.

35,000 shoes are being shipped in cooperation with World Vision to the victims of the 2007 Bangladesh Cyclone. Additional donations for the victims of Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh are being gathered.

Red Wing Shoe Company recently donated 26,500 boots to help victims of the earthquake in Peru.

12,515 pairs of shoes were distributed in Honduras in a 2006 project by a 6-member team of Soles4Souls together with assistance from local helpers and church youth.

Another project delivered 85,000 pairs of shoes to Uganda, Africa.

Supporters of the charity include Jessica Alba, Jim Belushi, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sharon Stone, Jeff Fisher, Billy Joel and Reba McIntire.

Ravenscroft Third-Graders Lead Soles4Souls Shoe Drive

A couple of third-graders of the Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, NC are leading a Soles4Souls shoe drive to collect new and gently used shoes for the less fortunate. Allison Arber and Ryan Gerard are following the school's legacy to learn, lead and serve.

Ravenscroft’s involvement with the project began when Ryan went into the New Balance store in Raleigh to purchase a new pair of shoes, and was asked by an employee if he would like to donate his unused shoes to Soles4Souls.

“I asked them how many people didn’t have shoes, and they said more than 300 million,” said Ryan. “I donated my old shoes, and then my family and I realized it would make a good service project. I asked my classmate, Allison, who goes to church with me at St. Francis of Assisi, if she wanted to help, and she did.”

The students approached the Lower School Director about sponsoring the project, and then created and distributed flyers promoting the shoe drive throughout the Lower School. The response has been overwhelming, and within two days of announcing the project, the shoe containers were overflowing with donations.

“I visited the Soles4Souls Web site and saw some pictures of children who were wearing paper held together with rubber bands on their feet,” said Allison. “Their feet could get cold or they could step on something and get hurt, so it makes me happy to help them.”

“We have done shoe drives in the past, but this is the first time we have participated in the Soles4Souls program and the first time we have worked with a local school,” said Mark Allard, who owns the Raleigh and Durham New Balance stores with his wife, Kathy. “This is a really great program that started in the wake of the 2004 tsunami. Souls4Soles delivers shoes to those with a need both domestically and internationally. For example, more than 1 million pairs went to victims of Hurricane Katrina, and 50,000 pairs were recently delivered to victims of the wildfires in California.”

New Balance has provided containers for the Ravenscroft students, who will collect shoes through Dec. 8. New Balance will then ship the shoes to Soles4Souls. Allard said that the store was already putting plans into place for future shoe drives involving local schools, so he was happy to help Ravenscroft get started when he was approached by the Gerard family.

Anyone wishing to donate their new or gently-used shoes to Soles4Souls may bring them to the New Balance Store at 6204 Glenwood Ave. in Raleigh.

A Letter from Charleston, SC

The letters of gratitude and success continue to pour in from the footwear donation to U.S. shelters held this Thanksgiving. Physicians and volunteers from across twenty-five U.S. cities partnered with Soles4Souls and 'Our hearts to Your Soles' to offer free shoes and foot screenings for hundreds of homeless people. More than 2,500 pairs of new shoes were delivered to homeless shelters in U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore, New Orleans, Charlotte, Minneapolis, Rochester, and others. Here is just one letter received from a foot specialist in Charleston, SC.





Dear Soles4Souls,


My name is Blake Ohlson and I am an orthopaedist in Charleston, SC. I am writing you to thank you for the shoes you provided to our men in need at the shelter. We participated last Tuesday with about 7 volunteers that included physical therapists, orthotists, medical assistants, and myself.


We performed foot exams and provided shoes for over 100 men. The event was a huge success and everyone was extremely grateful. We look forward to making this a yearly tradition.


Incidentally, we attracted the attention of both the city newspaper and television. It is my hope that through increased exposure the program will continue to grow.


Sincerely,
Blake



Blake Ohlson MD
Orthopaedic Specialists of Charleston

Soles4Souls on News4Jax.com

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Some local students who work constantly to overcome obstacles associated with being deaf and blind are walking a little more comfortably thanks to the Soles4Souls' donation of hundreds of pairs of shoes.

"We all feel that we have new shoes and they're really nice. We feel good about ourselves and we don't have to keep the old shoes. We've got new shoes now. We've got something different," new shoe recipient Chris said with the help of a sign language interpreter.

Chris was one of nearly 1,000 students at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine who has a new spring in his step thanks to some new shoes from Soles 4 Shoes.

Soles 4 Souls is an international charity dedicated to providing free footwear to disadvantaged people all over the world.

The founder of Soles4Souls, Wayne Elsey, said donating the shoes was a simple gesture that speaks volumes and that it was great time to help out with Christmas around the corner.

"Something so simple that we take for granted is making these kids smile," Elsey said. "A pair of shoes can help them and help their families especially around the holidays."

From an old pair of sneaks to a new pair of New Balance the new shoes were an upgrade that brought a smile to several kids' faces.

"I was like, 'Wow. I got some new shoes.' I was excited," Chris said. "I'm very grateful that the man was nice enough to give me the shoes. He was just giving them away for free to all of us."

FSDB Shoe Donation Picked Up by CBS Affliate

Soles4Souls has partnered with the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind to provide footwear for the school's students. Soles4Souls will provide more than 1,000 pairs of shoes to be distributed on Wednesday, November 28 on the School's campus. CEO and founder Wayne Elsey was interviewed by Jacksonville TV-47 CBS affiliate reporter Denise Douglas for the station's early morning local news program, prior to the shoe donation.

"We are thrilled to be working with such a wonderful institution to help these amazing kids," Elsey said. "They have overcome obstacles must of us can't imagine. Our hope is that this donation will help make their lives a little easier."

The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind is part of the public school system and is the largest school of its type in the United States, serving sensory impaired students statewide. Founded in 1885, the School serves 850 students and their families in pre-kindergarten though 12th grade. Most students live on campus in dormitories and return home on the weekends. Approximately 200 students live in the local area and attend as day students. Close to 70% of FSDB seniors go on to college or technical training centers and enter a variety of professional careers and trades.

St. Stephens Services Receive Shoes and Screenings

St. Stephen's Human Services in Minneapolis, MN is an organization dedicated to ending homelessness. They operate a shelter, housing, employment, advocacy, outreach, and recovery services to those who are homeless or living in extreme poverty. Thousands of people benefit each year.

With the cold winter months approaching, St. Stephen's wanted to make sure the area's less fortunate were provided with warm, sturdy shoes. Through the support of Soles4Souls and Our Hearts to Soles, dozens of physicians and volunteers gave free foot screenings and footwear to hundreds of homeless people.

"People tend to overlook foot and ankle problems until they have disabling pain," stated Dr. Lance Silverman, an orthopedic foot and ankle specialist. "While many wear inappropriate footwear, the homeless population suffers more because they do not have the resources to help themselves. Our goal is to get them back on track to good health."

The majority of foot and ankle problems stem from chronic overuse, obesity or improper shoe wear. The homeless in the Twin cities are even at a greater risk. Winter snow and ice increase the number of injuries from slips and falls while the cold temperatures add serious risk of frostbite. Soles4Souls provided the proper footwear needed to survive the bitter cold.

"I am so thankful to Soles4Souls for their generous donation," said Amber Becker with St. Stephen's Services. "I was fortunate enough to witness the long lines of people waiting for new shoes, tossing out their old torn ones and dancing in the new! It really does change lives, and not just those of the homeless."

Soles4Souls Outfitting Students at FSDB

Soles4Souls has partnered with the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine to provide free footwear for the school's students.

"The students at FSDB are incredible kids who have overcome obstacles most of us can not imagine," said Wyane Elsey, founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "Proper footwear shouldn't be an obstacle for any child."

More than 1,000 pairs of shoes will be distributed at the school from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

"FSDB is fortunate to receive support from many sources around the state of Florida and the United States," said FSDB President Elmer Dillingham Jr. "Soles4Souls' donation to our students is greatly appreciated and will place smiles on the faces of our students."

Project Homeless Connect: Las Vegas

Soles4Souls participated in the annual Project Homeless Connect held in Las Vegas. The all day event was open to all homeless and low-income housing residents in the area. There were 2,600 people that came through the doors looking for areas of interest, information and support.

About 400 volunteers and city officials helped steward people through everything from optical and dental exams to housing requests to child services. There were also plenty of giveaways including toiletries, water, fruit, blankets, clothes and of course, shoes.

There has never been a shoe vendor giving away sandals and shoes before and Soles4Souls was proud to be a part of the event.

"It was a humbling and quite fulfilling experience to give shoes to this population of homeless and poverty stricken families," noted one Soles4Souls staff member. "We were able to give every single person in our long line a pair of shoes."

After donating the shoes, Soles4Souls gave the balance to other non-profits serving this area, such as the LV Rescue mission. They were all thrilled to receive them and vowed to put them to good use.

Soles4Souls on Shop Bag

The Shop Bag will be featuring Soles4Souls on their website (www.theshopbag.com) during the months of November and December under the section 'the bag recommends'. Soles4Souls has been given the honor of 'bag of hope'. Visitors are encouraged to donate new or gently worn shoes to Soles4Souls. Why wait until the holidays to be in the giving spirit? Change someone's life today!

The Shop Bag help clients achieve their personal goals through customized image consultation. After a one-on-one wardrobe assessment, the shop bag help their clients develop a fashion template through custom resources and shopping trips to find unique clothing, hairstyles, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. The have adopted the motto "change something inside" which expresses the belief that your inner person mirrors the outer and vice versa. When you change what you're bringing home in your shopping bag, you change how you look and how you feel!

Brother's on Blvd hosting shoe drive

Brother's on the Blvd. in Lafayette, LA. announced that it is hosting a shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls.

During the shoe drive, Brother's on the Blvd. will be offering $25 off any one pair of regular price shoes valued at $100 and up when you bring in a pair of gently worn shoes toward the effort. The shoe drive will end on Oct. 27. Brother's on the Blvd. is at 101 Arnould Blvd. in Lafayette.

"We are thrilled that Brother's on the Blvd. is acting on our behalf to spread joy to people, both here in the United States and around the world," said Paul Wilson, president of Soles4Souls. "It is only because of proactive retail stores, such as Brother's on the Blvd., that we are able to accomplish our goal of getting shoes on the feet of people who need them most," he said.


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 Catherine or Brother Abdalla at Brother's on the Blvd. You can also visit their Web site at www.BrothersOnTheBlvd.com.

WSAToday covers Soles4Souls donation in Southern California

Soles4Souls is rushing to the rescue yet again, this time in Southern California. The nonprofit organization that provides footwear to those in need is sending more than 50,000 pairs of new shoes to victims of the recent wildfires in the region. Thus far the flames have destroyed 1,500 homes and businesses across a combined total of more than 480,000 acres, causing the evacuation more than 500,000 residents.

Soles4Souls has teamed up with several other relief organizations and government agencies including Operation Compassion, which sent three trucks en route today. The shoes are scheduled to arrive in such areas as Temecula, Poway and San Diego County on Monday.

For the complete story: http://www.wsatoday.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99468&Itemid=12

Family collects shoes for Soles4Souls

Who said one person or one family can't make a huge difference?

The Hung family of St. Louis, MO will make a difference in 562 lives. That's how many pairs of shoes Micah and Lucas Hung (shown above) collected in a family shoe drive that will benefit the less fortunate worldwide.

It took the boys weeks to collect all of the shoes, mostly coming through friends and word of mouth at school. Many of the shoes collected will benefit the bare footed children in developing countries with little or no possessions.

While most kids spend their summers selling lemonade or mowing lawns for a few dollars, the Hungs did their work for free.

"My boys were proud of the work they did and we are so happy others can use these shoes," said the boys' mother Danielle. "Hopefully it will be an annual event for our family!"

Soles4Souls Sending 50,000 Pairs of Shoes to Victims of California Wildfires

Soles4Souls is sending more than 50,000 pairs of new shoes to victims of the devastating Southern California fires. More than 500,000 people have been forced from their homes and over 1,500 homes and businesses have been destroyed.

"You can't watch the news reports on this tragedy without being affected by it," said Wayne Elsey, founder of Soles4Souls. "Some people might think that everyone in Southern California is rich and can replace anything they've lost with an easy insurance claim, but that's just not true. Not everyone lives in Beverly Hills -- there are hundreds of thousands of middle and working class people who have been evacuated, and many of them don't have a safety net of any kind. They can't quickly return to their homes because they were renters or lived in trailer parks and don't have the security that many homeowners do," he said.

Elsey said that the shoe charity is coordinating the effort and partnering with several other relief organizations and government agencies to ensure the delivery process remains smooth and people who need the shoes receive them.

"We are working with several other relief organizations, including Operation Compassion, which sent three trucks from Birmingham today," Elsey said. "They will be arriving in the affected areas on Monday, October 29. We are extremely grateful for their help in this effort and invite everyone to donate their shoes or a few dollars to help us ship more shoes out there."

Dave Lorency, President of Operation Compassion, an international relief agency based in Cleveland, Tennessee, said that Soles4Souls was filling an important need for victims of the fires.

"Getting a new pair of shoes will be a big relief to a lot of these folks," he said. "We will be arriving on Monday with our truckloads of shoes and dropping them off in areas like Temecula, and Poway, and rural San Diego County," Lorency said.

Lorency said that people could help most by donating shoes and cash to Soles4Souls so that his organization could continue to deliver free shoes to people in need around the world.

"We work in places all over the world, like Romania and Indonesia, and when something like this happens in our own country, it's important that we step up and help those people with the same amount of compassion," he said. "Soles4Souls is an invaluable resource for people all over the world, including right here in the U.S."

Young volunteer collects shoes for charity

The Bellingham Herald

As the holiday season looms large, residents in Bellingham, Washington are taking a day out of their weekend to do some early giving.

Saturday is Make a Difference Day, a national day of service that allows people to get together with an organization to do some good. More than 1,100 local volunteers are expected to take part in more than 30 projects throughout the county.

Though many participants may see Make a Difference Day as a one-time thing, it could just spark some people to go a little further.

Local student and author Sondra Clark has teamed with nonprofit Soles4 Souls with the goal of collecting 5,000 shoes for the less fortunate. Clark, a 17-year-old senior at Bellingham High School, spoke with The Herald about giving big and little before her homecoming dance.

Question: Your book, “You Can Change your World: Creative Ways to Volunteer and Make a Difference” is about how kids can make a difference. What are some of the best ways they can do that?

Answer: Starting small. You hear about kids on the news who are helping kids in Africa — and that’s amazing and wonderful — but that can be daunting to kids. Just look around your school; look locally. Talk to a teacher and ask if there’s someone in your class who doesn’t have enough money for school supplies; maybe do a book drive.

Q: How did you get started volunteering and getting involved?

A: My parents have always encouraged me to volunteer, and I’ve grown up doing it. On Easter, we volunteer at a homeless shelter. We cleaned toilets after the dinner; it’s kind of the unglamorous part. When I was 12, I went to Africa for the first time. When I came back, I knew I needed to do something to help these kids … I raised $85,000 for AIDS orphans.

Q: What role do you hope volunteering will play in your life as you age?

A: I think it’s definitely going to be a huge part of my life, whatever I do. I don’t think it’s right to go through our lives and not reach out and help someone.

Q: Why do you think Make a Difference Day is important?

A: I think volunteering in itself is important, and Make a Difference Day is a great chance to get involved. A lot of times I know that people want to help, but they don’t know how to start.

Q: Your Make a Difference Day organization is Soles4 Souls. Why did you choose them?

A: They are a great organization from Nashville, where I’m from. I’d done some work with them passing out shoes in Nashville. This summer I was in Guatemala (passing out shoes for Soles4 Souls), and it was amazing to me how many of these kids didn’t have shoes. The smiles on their faces when they got those shoes were amazing.

Q: What is one thing you think anyone can do to make a difference?

A: I think just kind of look around you and see if someone needs a word of encouragement. Look at the perimeter of your friends. A lot of times it’s those people who it really makes a difference when you say, “How are you?” That’s sort of at the core of volunteering, helping the human nature of people.

Folks in Bellingham can donate slightly used shoes to Soles4Souls at the Childcare Worldwide headquarters located at 1971 Midway Lane, Suite N. Before donating, tie shoelaces together and wrap with a rubber band.

Soles4Souls on LiveEarth.org

Live Earth started the SOS campaign to empower individuals to change their consumer behaviors. Their goal is to motivate corporations and political leaders to enact decisive measures to combat the climate crisis. The message of SOS is that everyone, everywhere can and must Answer the Call to solve the climate crisis.

Recently, Soles4Souls was featured on the front page of the Live Earth web site:

Most Americans are aware of the large number of shoes lying dormant in their closets. It has been estimated that there are 1.5 billion pairs of shoes in American homes that are destined for our landfills instead of being put to use the way they were intended: on people’s feet.


Soles4Souls, a rapidly growing American charity, aims to recycle and reuse every unwanted pair of shoes in the country by collecting and distributing these shoes to poor people around the world. The US Government estimates that there are 300 million children around the world who don’t own a single pair. Nearly all the footwear that is thrown into our landfills could be used — and treasured as a luxury item — by people in third-world countries.

Soles4Souls believes that recycling footwear doesn’t have to mean shredding or melting shoes into park surfaces or basketball courts. Footwear can be used in the manner intended by needy people around the world, and save American landfills space for items that cannot be reused or recycled.

Women and Children receive shoes at the Mission

The Women's Mission in Nashville is home to 163 women and 22 children. On Thursday, Soles4Souls handed out a new pair of athletic shoes and a pair of clogs to every woman. Each child that was present received a new pair of shoes.

In addition, Soles4Souls left the mission with extra children shoes and women athletic shoes for future needs of their organization.

Celebrities help out at the Children's Place Shoe Drive

The kick-off of The Children's Place Shoe Drive in Santa Monica, CA was a huge success. It was the just the first day of the event and the large shoe donation bin was already full by the end of the day.

Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher is helping Soles4Souls kick off a month long drive urging people to donate shoes to the needy and underprivileged people in the U.S. and worldwide.

"You can come out, enjoy music and bring a pair of new shoes or gently used shoes," said Teri. "You can have a great time and you can feel really good about what you're doing for the kids who need it.”

Other celeb donors at the event included popular comedian Adam Sandler and Greg Grunberg from the NBC hit show Heroes.

Shoe House Restoration a Success

The World’s Largest Shoe House refurbishment and shoe drive was a wonderful success. Members of the community donated a generous amount of shoes to Soles4Souls that kept the local volunteers busy for two days. In fact, the turn-out was so great that the Shoe House owner would like to hold a shoe drive on an ongoing basis.

The restoration of the Shoe House also went very well. Some 20 volunteers from Hampton Hotels’ “Save-A-Landmark” program dug in their heels in an estimated 84-hour restoration effort. The employee volunteers cleaned, primed and painted the five-story work boot. They also restored its historic stain glass windows and painted the Shoe House’s fence.

World’s Largest Shoe House Gets Its Shine Back

As seen on BusinessWire.com:

HELLAM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Volunteers from Hampton Hotels’ “Save-A-Landmark” program dig in their heels today as they overhaul the World’s Largest Shoe House in Hellam, Pennsylvania. In an estimated 84-hour restoration effort, nearly 20 employee volunteers will clean, prime and paint the five-story work boot; restore its historic stain glass windows; and paint the Shoe House’s fence.


As part of the restoration, Hampton has partnered with Soles4Souls™ – a non-profit organization that collects and distributes shoes for those in need – in asking community members to put their best foot forward by donating their gently used shoes. Shoes can be dropped off at the Shoe House on September 26, any time between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

“Hellam’s quirky Shoe House has brought smiles to passing motorists for decades, and we’re taking an extra step in this restoration to help those who need new shoes as well,” said Judy Christa-Cathey, vice president of brand marketing for Hampton Hotels. “Hampton is helping to ensure that future generations of visitors will have a chance to stand in the shadow of this gigantic piece of Americana, by contributing nearly $20,000 toward the landmark’s ongoing care.”


The 25-foot tall, 48-foot long Shoe House was originally built in 1948 by Mahlon N. Haines, a famously eccentric local shoe salesman, as an extravagant advertising gimmick. Haines, the “Shoe Wizard of York,” once invited young honeymooners to stay the night in his Shoe House, free of charge. The popular tourist attraction now operates as an ice cream parlor and gift shop, and as a museum dedicated to Haines’ colorful life.

Hampton’s Save-A-Landmark program is continuing its eighth year preserving historical, fun and cultural landmarks, from the Carousel Gardens in New Orleans, La. to the historical National Monument to the Forefathers in Plymouth, Mass. During this time, the program has helped research landmarks in need, promoted landmark sites and their importance, facilitated thousands of volunteer hours, donated several tons of supplies and worked with matching grants — all at an investment of more than $2.5 million. Banding its hotels together in the communities they serve, Hampton employee-volunteers work hand-in-hand on the landmarks while Hampton provides the dollars to refurbish selected sites.

The Save-A-Landmark program is always searching for landmarks in need. Anyone with suggestions can visit the Save-A-Landmark Web site at www.hamptonlandmarks.com and click on “submit a landmark” to enter their nominations – or even just to bring some much-deserved attention to a favorite attraction.


About Soles4Souls
Nashville-based Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of shoes, which will be used to aid the hurting worldwide. Shoe companies, retailers and individuals can donate footwear (both new and used). Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS; donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Visit www.GiveShoes.org or call (866) 521-SHOE.

BCNY "Steps Up"

BCNY has donated 60,000 Pairs of Shoes for Recent Natural Disaster Victims to Soles4Souls. It's not the first time that the New York based company has made a substantial footwear donation. Last winter, BCNY donated over 72,000 pairs of children's shoes and slippers to help meet a serious need in Russia and the Ukraine.

So when Soles4Souls asked many of its footwear industry partners to "step up" to help meet the need of recent natural disaster victims, BCNY again responded in a huge way.

"BCNY International has made an incredible donation to help us meet the need of victims in the U.S., as well as Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru," said founder Wayne Elsey. "They are donating about 60,000 pairs of new sneakers, sandals, and children's shoes that will make an enormous difference in the lives of people who have been devastated by recent events," he said.

"We would like to make this donation on behalf of all of the BCNY Worldwide Families to those people and families in need," said Evan Cagner, Executive Director of BCNY International. "We are glad that we can help and be part of the solution," he said.

The shoes are en route to assist victims of last month's massive earthquake in Peru and the floods in the U.S. Midwest, as well as people in the paths of hurricanes Dean, Felix, and Henriette.

"I can't recall when we've had so many awful events line up one after the other," Elsey said. "It's amazing that we haven't had to turn anyone away yet, but only because companies like BCNY are helping to meet the massive demand," he said.

To donate your shoes or make a cash donation to Soles4Souls, visit www.giveshoes.org to find out how to help the charity.

At Dallas-area malls, Soles4Souls collects footwear for those in need

As seen in The Dallas Morning News:

All malls encourage you to buy shoes. Town East Mall wants you to bring them back.

Soles4Souls, an international charity dedicated to providing free footwear to needy people around the world, has been collecting gently used shoes at the Mesquite mall and five others owned by General Growth Properties in the area for more than a month.


"It's a great concept," said former Mesquite Mayor Mike Anderson, who dedicated a pair just before his retirement in August. "I hope that a lot of people will visit this booth in the coming weeks."

It seems that the crowds have done just that, as Soles4Souls reports that it has gathered more than 170 pairs at Town East.


"The locals have really shown their support here for this program," said Debi Martinez, a General Growth Properties spokeswoman. "I think that once they walk in and see the booth, and learn a bit about the cause, they are very accepting. Because most people have some older shoes in their closet they never wear anyway."

In all, Town East, Collin Creek, Hulen, The Parks at Arlington, Stonebriar Centre and Vista Ridge malls have collected more than 1,400 pairs of shoes. Ms. Martinez expects a lot more before the drive ends Sept. 30.


"I think there will be a big number of people that were just waiting, and, now that the end is near, they will bring some more shoes," she said.

Ms. Martinez said several outside groups have been collecting shoes to bring in before the drive closes.


Soles4Souls first collected shoes for the region affected by the Asian tsunami on Dec. 26, 2004.

Soon after, the organization put its experience into action for Hurricane Katrina victims, creating a special Web site for the effort and also soliciting donations by word of mouth.

Spreading the word worked wonders. The group collected more than 900,000 pairs to donate for the two disasters.

On October 2005, Soles4Souls formally incorporated, allowing the organization to serve people around the globe.


Town East's marketing manager, Deborah Screws, said the charity represents a great message.

"From the moment the drive started, it is easy to see the excitement that the drive brings," she said. "And you can tell that everyone, from the donating community to the mall employees, is affected by it."


Soles4Souls of Nashville, Tenn., has a distribution center in Las Vegas, where donated shoes are inspected for suitability, sorted, packaged in Soles4Souls boxes and prepared for distribution to a regional partner expressing a need.

Accessorize, Sip and Celebrate!

Chelsea Parkes, the chic & stylish accessories boutique, is inviting Atlantans to a fashion event like none other for their one year anniversary! Join co-owners Nikki Peoples and Darlene Stegall as they Accessorize, Sip and Celebrate!

Come and enjoy the fun while you see the fall's must have shoes, handbags and jewelery! Enjoy complimentary champagne, food and prizes! Plus, save 20% when you bring in a pair of new or "gently worn" shoes to benefit Soles4Souls. The event will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday, September 27-29th from 5-9 p.m.

"This is an exciting event we are having to celebrate our 1 year milestone and benefit Soles4Souls", said Nikki Peoples. "Our goal is to donate 1000 pairs of shoes for every year we are in business. We are really hoping to make this an annual event."

At Chelsea Parkes, you will find a select collection of those essential “pieces” that make your style standout including shoes, handbags, jewelry, belts and more. This boutique is all about making fashion statements through the accessories you wear.

Chelsea Parkes is located in Sandy Springs in the new City Walk Shopping Plaza on Boutique Row with neighbors Sandpiper, Potpourri, and Fabrik.

For more information visit http://www.chelseaparkes.com/.

We receive a lot of wonderful emails from great people. For example:


My name is Candy Brewer and I'm a Marion county foster parent. I'm sending this to say a very special THANK YOU for the shoes that I received for my foster kids. It was a big help to me. Thanks for all you do!


Thanks Candy! We really appreciate it and we are always glad to help.

Madrona Elementary sends thanks

Dear Soles4Souls,



I would like to give a heartfelt "thank you" to your organization and to the people who work with all of you. I am a teacher at SeaTac, WA at Madrona Elementary. We were very blessed through the work of our friend, Joy Laegrid, to receive 60 pairs of shoes from your group and my students were overwhelmed with joy.



The students who attend Madrona have to deal with a variety of hardships daily. Some of these situations involve short supplies of food, clothing and housing. Many also live in neighborhoods that are unsafe and scary to children. Several of our families have parents who are now or have been in the penitentiary system, so they are not able to have familial support on a daily basis. Our students also have a great responsibility to interpret and deal with adult situations for their families and friends.



For our 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students we have started a running/walking club called WISH, so they can learn about healthy nutrition and exercise and see that through clubs and teams they have an opportunity for many great experiences in life. My students were so very happy and excited to receive your generous donation of shoes. They were jumping up and down and prizing these shoes above all others. They didn't want to get them dirty but they wanted to wear them for special events, too.



As an educator and community member, I cannot say "thank you" enough. The joy and help that your organization brought us was overwhelming and amazing. I really want my students to see that we all can make a difference in this world, helping people, showing kindness and doing good. It doesn't matter if we know each person individually, all that matters is that our good deeds touch the lives of many. Thank you for showing them that we can all help each other and that we do it from our hearts without any personal motives.



I hope you enjoy their messages and please know that we will always be grateful and touched by your help, encouragement and kindness to everyone.



Sincerely,

Michelle Brees

SeaTac, WA

Soles4Souls spokesperson named Huggable Hero

Another Amazing Kid and one of this year's Huggable Heroes winner is Sondra Clark. Sondra will be featured in the new Build-a-Bear Huggable Heroes calendar for 2008.

What is a Huggable Hero? A Huggable Hero is a young person 18 years of age or under doing awesome stuff to make a difference in their neighborhood, school or community.
Each year Build-A-Bear Workshop honors Huggable Heroes chosen from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom for their outstanding community service. More than 1,300 entries were received and only ten outstanding kids were chosen.

But that's not all! Sondra recently was named a spokesperson for Soles4Souls. Sondra just visited Guatemala to pass out shoes there. She wants to encourage kids everywhere to get involved in their shoe collection drives, to help donate shoes to people who are in need!

Way to go, Sondra! You continue to amaze us all with your big heart and dedication to charity work!

"Shoe House" Land Mark Saved, Soles4Souls benefits

York County's famous shoe is about to receive a $20,000 remodel, thanks to a hotel giant.

Hampton Hotels' Save-A-Landmark program is coming to Hellam Township to refurbish the shoe-shaped "Shoe House" Wednesday, Sept. 26. Launched in 2000, Save-A-Landmark is a national campaign to refurbish landmarks along highways.

Built by York "Shoe Wizard" Mahlon Haines in 1948 as an advertisement for his shoe store empire, the house will be the 33rd landmark refurbished under the program.

As part of the charitable effort, Save-A-Landmark volunteers are collecting new or "gently worn" shoes for Soles4Souls, an organization that provides shoes to hurricane victims and others who need them.

Shoes can be dropped off at the shoe house, 197 Shoe House Road, before the renovation from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 25, or during the renovation event from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 26.

The Children's Place to host Event for Soles4Souls

Running Numbers on Soles4Souls

Soles4Souls on CityPaper.net in Philadelphia. This is in Running Numbers section, A scholarly look at the digits that matter:

28 - Number of seconds that went by between every pair of shoes distributed by Soles4Souls since January 2005 — more than 2.5 million pairs. The organization, which will hold a shoe drive for new or gently worn shoes at the 30th annual Philadelphia Distance Run Sept. 16, is devoted to collecting and donating footwear throughout the world to those in need. Their slogan: "Changing the world one pair at a time."

Simple Shoes partners with Soles4Souls

Simple Shoes out of Santa Barbara, CA was on the KJEE morning show promoting the Rise Against secret performance concert to benefit Soles4Souls. Those attending the Rise Against concert got free admission by donating a pair of new or gently worn shoes to Soles4Souls.

Simple Shoes also was promoting their new "Eco friendly" ecoSNEAKS. The folks at Simple Shoes collect used car tires that would normally be sent to a landfill, cut them up and use them as outsoles on some of their shoes. They also chop up plastic bottles, melt them down and use it to create the laces and pedbeads in the ecoSNEAKS.

Soles4Souls on NBC Nightly News

Soles4Souls was featured on the NBC's nightly news "Making a Difference" segment last Weekend. The series was conceived in response to viewers who complain that the broadcast features only "bad" news on their nightly news. On Sunday, it was Soles4Souls turn to bring some good news into thousands of American living rooms.

"Making a Difference" showed Soles4Souls staff and founder Wayne Elsey handing out over 300 pairs of shoes to New York City children who needed them. It also talked about the history of Soles4Souls and the role it played in helping the victims of the Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.

NBC correspondent Rehema Ellis reported, "for Americans that buy a lot of shoes, Elsey says the right thing to do is to donate the more than one billion pairs of shoes that sit idle in closets to people that don't have the same luxuries."

Laced Up, Adidas and Porsche for Soles4Souls?

Atlanta's most prominent sneaker boutique, Laced Up, serves as the catalyst for introducing new-age footwear to the sole connoisseur. Laced Up joins forces with Adidas International and Porsche to introduce the 2008 Porsche Design Driving Shoe at a private, invitation-only soiree that will benefit Soles4Souls, the non-profit organization that facilitates the donations of shoes used to aid the worldwide hurting (http://www.giveshoes.org/).

Guests at the event will be encouraged to bring their new or lightly worn shoes for donation to Soles4Souls. All sizes and types of footwear are welcome, from flip flops to those sturdy boots you no longer wear. The event will take place at the Jim Ellis Porsche dealership, September 20, 2007.

The prominent Jim Ellis Dealership will be transformed into a gentleman's haven, where guest will be privy to the finer things in life including a signature Courvoisier Exclusif Cognac Lounge, an Adidas interactive fashion segment and a sneak peak at the never before seen Porsche Turbo Cab all in ultra-luxe Laced Up fashion. You will not be able to afford it.

Catering the Atlanta's celebrity, athletic, and shoe enthusiast community, Laced Up is assured to leave its shoe print in the city.

For more information on Refined Performance visit www.LacedUp.biz

Soles4Souls Asking Nashville to "Step Up" for Disaster Victims

Wayne Elsey, the Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls™ Inc., is accustomed to seeing 32,000 pairs of shoes come in and out of the charity’s warehouses each week, but the recent natural disasters in Peru, the US Midwest, Mexico, and the current Hurricane (Felix) have left a giant void in the Soles4Souls buildings.

“We can use the shoes taking up space in your closet to change the world one pair at a time,” Elsey said. “We need our partners in North America and specifically our home town, Nashville, to 'STEP UP' and get behind our call for action. 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,” he said.

Nashvillians are asked to clean out their closets and recycle their gently worn shoes and take to area Kroger stores from Tuesday, September 18th to Tuesday, September 25th, from 10 AM- 7 PM. Kroger has generously agreed to host the shoe drive in three Nashville area locations.

Please look for the Soles4Souls trucks in the parking lot of the following Kroger locations:
HERMITAGE: 5544 Old Hickory Blvd., Hermitage, TN 37076

FRANKLIN: 250 Williamson Square, Franklin, TN 37064

BELLEVUE: 7087 Hwy 70 South, Nashville, TN 37221

In addition, people and companies interested in donating to the effort can visit the organization’s website, www.giveshoes.org , and follow the instructions.

About Kroger
Kroger is one of the nation's largest retail grocery chains. The company operates 58 stores and 27 fuel centers in Middle Tennessee.

About Soles4Souls
Nashville-based Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of footwear, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Soles4Souls has donated more than 2.6 million pairs of shoes since its inception (one pair of shoes every 28 seconds). Shoe companies, retailers, and individuals can donate both new and "gently worn" footwear. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS; donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. For more information about Soles4Souls, please call (866) 521-SHOE, or visit www.giveshoes.org or www.soles4souls.org.

For more information please contact:
Chris Carmichael: 503-319-1726; chrisc@soles4souls.org
Kim Dettwiller, Soles4Souls, 615-330-5656, kimd@soles4souls.org
Alexis Laken: 646-964-5566; alexisl@soles4souls.org

Tennessee Titans supporting Soles4Souls

Nashville, TN - Cumulus Media and ESPN 106.7 The Fan announced the return of Offense/Defense with NFL Running Back Chris Brown and NFL All Pro Safety, Chris Hope. The radio show will air Monday nights at 6:00 PM at Nashville area Applebee’s Restaurant locations.

This will be the second year for the radio show and will feature Chris Brown and Chris Hope discussing the game as well as fan phone calls with host Jonathan Shaffer. Fans are also invited out to watch the show and to meet the players.

The show will be based at several Nashville area Applebee’s Restaurants. The 2007 schedule is :
9/10 Spring Hill
9/17 Opryland
9/24 No Show
10/1 No Show
10/8 Hermitage
10/15 Thompson Lane
10/22 Harding Place
10/29 Madison
11/5 Hendersonville
11/12 Bellevue
11/19 No Show
11/26 Hickory Hollow
12/3 Opryland
12/10 Nippers Corner
12/17 Spring Hill

In addition, Brown and Hope announce their support of the Nashville-based charity Soles4Souls™ Inc., the global organization dedicated to providing free footwear to people in need all over the world. Chris Brown has pledged to donate $100 for each first down and Chris Hope has pledged $100 for each tackle during the 2007 NFL season.

To support Brown and Hope’s charity efforts, Cumulus Media will run Soles4Souls PSA’s recorded by the players for the entire season.

About SOLES4SOULS
Nashville-based Soles4Souls™ facilitates the donations of shoes, which is used to aid the hurting worldwide. The organization has distributed more than 2.5 million pairs of shoes since January 2005 (or one pair of shoes every 28 seconds). Shoe companies, retailers, and individuals can donate both new and “gently worn” footwear. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS; donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. For more information about Soles4Souls, please call (866) 521-SHOE, or visit www.giveshoes.org or www.soles4souls.org

For more information, please contact:
Kim Dettwiller, Team Strategies, 615-321-4073, mhtml:%7BD4EE4306-E560-45D3-83DE-927B0E981FD9%7Dmid://00000251/!x-usc:mailto:kimdet@comcast.net

Soles4Souls on Fixing Your Feet

Fixing Your Feet is an E-zine (online magazine) dedicated to foot care skills, tips, techniques and products. Soles4Souls was in this Friday's edition.



FIXING YOUR FEET E-zine
Volume 7, Issue 8, August 2007

A GOOD IDEA: SOLES 4 SOULS

Soles4souls is dedicated to making a difference in people’s lives with the gift of shoes. Wayne Elsey founded the non-profit organization in 2004 after the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia. Partnering with friends, local churches, and the media, over 250,000 pairs of shoes were collected. After hurricane Katrina, 750,000 shoes were distributed to needy people affected by the storm damage.

By estimates, over 1.5 billion pairs of shoes are lying idle in American closets. If you have shoes, of any style or size, please ship them using UPS Ground (usually the most cost effective method) to one of the two warehouses. For East Coast shipments, send them to Soles4Souls, Inc., 2064 Highway 431, Roanoke, AL 36274, For West Coast shipments, send them to Soles4Souls, Inc., Foreign Trade Zone #89, 6620 Escondido Street, Las Vegas, NV 89119. For information on tax-deductible donations, please call their hotline at 888-840-7074.

Shoe Drive in Arlington Mall

The Parks Mall in Arlington is getting involved with Soles4Souls to host a shoe drive all next month. Collection boxes will be set up at the Parks through September 30th so shoppers can donate new or gently used shoes for adults and children. Boxes will be at the customer service center in center court next to the down escalator.

Each individual who donates a pair of shoes will receive a special offer or discount from a retailer in the mall. For more information on how you can help the effort, visit http://www.soles4souls.org/ or call 1-888-840-7074.

Soles4Souls teams with World Vision

Soles4Souls has donated 40,000 pairs of shoes to the organization World Vision to be distributed in the Bronx area and beyond. World Vision is a humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

"World Vision is a high integrity organization," stated founder Wayne Elsey. "We know that the shoes are getting on the feet that need them."

Soles4Souls and World Vision were also featured on the local program OPEN in the Bronx. OPEN is a television program that help Bronx community organizations share information about issues and services. One particular segment showed Soles4Souls and World Vision staff handing out over 400 pairs of brand new tennis shoes to children at a local elementary. For most, it was an overwhelming gift to receive on the first day of school.

"I love my new shoes," said one smiling boy. "Now I don't have to wear my brother's old ones."

We need your Shoes!

At Soles4Souls we are always looking for new and better ways to meet the footwear needs of the hurting worldwide. There are people in all parts of the globe with no other access to shoes than those provided by the generosity of people and companies like yours.

It is amazing how a simple pair of shoes can make such a big difference in the lives of so many. Whether it is a child in a landfill in Tegucigalpa, Honduras or a homeless man in a city rescue mission in Nashville, TN, we are there distributing shoes to those in need, around the corner and around the world.

Unfortunately, shoes wear out. Our appeal is simple; do you have any sales samples that we can match up? Do you have any worn and damaged returns that you can part with? Do you have any seasonal footwear that is getting old?

Our 501 c (3) charity offers you an outlet for these products with potential tax advantages for your corporation.

Please give me the opportunity to share with you how you can make a difference in the lives of many with the gift of footwear. Together we can change the world one pair at a time.

Pastor in Thailand sends letter of thanks

This is a letter received from David and Pamela Yaylor, missionaries in one of the poorest parts of Thailand.

Dear Soles4souls, I would like to express much appreciation for shoes that were donated to Jennifer Soliz that were used in Sisaket, Thailand.

I am a missionary with the International Mission Board, serving the Kui people of Thailand. They are one of the poorest and least appreciated people of Thailand. Through your help, we were able to give people shoes and sandals along with information about Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, this helped us to build relationships in these villages so that we can go back and follow up with them.

Thanks again for helping us!

David and Pamela Taylor

Urgent Need for Footwear

Soles4Souls has an URGENT Need for Footwear and/or Cash for Shipping Shoes to Areas of Devastation.

As you are probably aware, Hurricane Season is now upon us. We already have responded to distress calls for footwear in Haiti, Jamaica, and other parts of the Gulf region. Our stock is in desperate need of replenishing and we need your help to reach out to people in dire need.

Hurricane Dean is now a Category 5 storm (the last one this large was Katrina) that is barreling toward Mexico and Belize. We know the damage from this storm will be serious and the proper footwear will be extremely appreciated for rescuers and individuals looking to rebuild from the rubble. Imagine trying to clean up in the dangerous aftermath while barefoot!

Please contact us at 866-521-7463 or email us at info@soles4souls.org. With your gift, we can make a simple yet extremely timely difference to thousands of people.

About Soles4Souls
Nashville-based Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of footwear, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Soles4Souls has donated more than 2.6 million pairs of shoes since its inception (one pair of shoes every 28 seconds). The charity will be featured in the coming days on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (at least 7 million viewers guaranteed).

Shoe companies, retailers, and individuals can donate both new and "gently worn" footwear. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS; donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. For more information about Soles4Souls, please call (866) 521-SHOE, or visit www.giveshoes.org or www.soles4souls.org.

Morgan Miller hosting event to benefit Soles4souls

To kick off a month dedicated to the Soles4Souls charity, Morgan Miller is hosting a launch event on Wednesday, August 22 from 5–9 PM. Customers who generously donate one pair of “lightly worn” shoes receive 20% off all merchandise, and those donating two pairs enjoy a 30% discount.



The boutique will be serving champagne and light hors d’ oeuvres as guests view new merchandise and create their own custom-designed shoes. The shoe drive and customer discount will continue through September 31.

Customers of Footwise Comfort Shoes give to Soles4Souls

What started as a simple shoe drive for one month has now grown into a year-round event. Orly Cohen, a certified pedorthist and owner of Footwise Comfort Shoes in Bellevue, started a shoe drive for Soles4Souls in early July.

A pedorthist is someone who has studied foot anatomy, shoe construction and has experience fitting shoes professionally. They design, manufacture, modify and fit shoes to alleviate problems caused by disease, congenital conditions, overuse or injury.

By the end of the month, Cohen had a couple hundred pairs of shoes donated through her store.

Customers donated by the bags full, leaving shoes piled in a Soles4Souls box that the store had set up near the cash register.

"We've had to empty that box four or five times," Cohen said. "We originally intended for the box to serve as a destination for people to place the shoes for donation, but a lot of our customers didn't even know we were doing the drive, so it's served as a good promotional tool as well."

Cohen sent out fliers to her customers advertising the drive earlier this summer. She had originally intended just to have the drive throughout the month of July, but because of its success, she's decided to do it year-round.

"I was not expecting this many donations," she added. "I am very pleased with the results, and I hope the donations will continue to come in."

Cohen heard about the Soles 4 Souls Foundation through her membership with the National Shoe Retailer Association.

"We didn't choose the foundation because it's local, but we like the connection," Cohen said. "Not only does this drive help people in need, but we also like the fact that it helps local Nashville business. You get when you give."

The store is planning to send its first shipment to Soles4Souls at the beginning of next month and then would be sent on a monthly basis. Soles4Souls is very happy to receive them.

"We've given to 35 different countries, but when the poverty level in Nashville is growing, we thought it was time to step up locally," Founder Wayne Elsey said. "Let's make sure that people here and in other cities in this country don't get forgotten. We just go out there and try to make a difference one pair at a time."