Sarasota Stores Collecting Footwear

New Balance Sarasota and New Balance University in Sarasota, Florida are collecting shoes from their community to be distributed to Soles4Souls.


Molly Jackson, a co-owner of the two New Balance stores, said there are hundreds of millions of people around the world who have never owned a pair of shoes, yet Americans are tossing millions of shoes into the landfill every year.

Last year, New Balance collected 900 shoes for the charity.


Anyone interested in donating used but still usable shoes can bring them to the New Balance stores in Sarasota at 6573 S. Tamiami Trail and at 8204 Tourist Center Drive, off University Parkway. Shoes can also be donated at the Summer Kid Beach Runs on Tuesday evenings on Siesta Key. The donations can be left at the Siesta Beach main pavilion.

Donors are asked to put $1 inside the shoes to help with the cost of shipping.
New Balance is offering customers a $5 coupon on a pair of new shoes in exchange for their donations.

Running Fit Running Drive (co-sponsored by Enspire Dental)

Running Fit will be hosting a shoe drive for the entire month of June to donate to Soles4Souls for distribution. Customers who bring in gently used shoes to any of Running Fit's seven southeast Michigan locations will receive a discount on their next purchase.

"According to the World Health Organization, wearing shoes help prevent hookworm, a parasite that enters the body through the foot," said Brad Stulberg, a recent University of Michigan graduate that is helping to put on the drive. "Hookworm afflicts more than 740 million people in developing countries around the world."

Enspire Dental, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is also co-sponsoring the drive.

Jane Banaszak-Holl, a professor of organizational studies at University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science and the Arts, calculated that each pair donated saves $733 in health care, productivity and education costs.

For more information, visit http://www.runningfit.com/.

Texas Church Collecting Shoes this Week

As seen in TheFacts.com

Well-heeled worshippers at Hope Fellowship Church in Lake Jackson, TX are being asked to step out of their Sunday best to support Soles4Souls’ National Barefoot Week campaign.

The Hope Fellowship congregation will accept donations of new and gently used footwear this week, culminating in the Sunday service, when Senior Pastor Mark Swirsky will invite his church community to leave their shoes behind.

“It’s a reality that most Americans have many pairs of shoes, but many people in world don’t even have one pair,” Swirsky said.

Nashville-based Soles4Souls donates footwear to needy people in the United States and abroad, and since its inception in 2004, has shoed more than 3 million people worldwide.

Swirsky decided to back the project after reading about the threat of puncture wounds and hook worm infection that many shoeless people in developing nations face.

“Giving used shoes is something that’s so easy to do, and it meets a big need,” Swirsky said. “We’re just asking people to clean out their closets.”

Organizers are hoping to draw donations from across the community of every kind of shoe, from gently worn high heels to trainers.

"It’s just one way to be a light in the community,” Youth Pastor Johnathan Sublet said of the shoe drives. “God depends on us to share what He has given.”

Sublet tries to teach the young people of the congregation that mission work is not just an occasional, week-long push, but a way of life.

“Missions is a lifestyle choice,” he said. “There are many opportunities all around us every day to help if we’ll only use our senses and listen.”

Donations can be made at Hope Fellowship Church, 200 Lake Road in Lake Jackson, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through June 5, or at 10:50 a.m. at the June 8 worship service.

-Meredith Amos

Soles4Souls and Finish Line begin "Sole Destination"

Soles4Souls began their partnership with Finish Line, Inc. this week and launched a national shoe trade-in program at all 700 Finish Line store locations. The donation program, "Sole Destination," began yesterday, June 1st and will end on July 31st, 2008. It is part of many events for National Barefoot Week to be held June 1-7, 2008.

"During this week, we hope to draw attention to the over 300 million children worldwide who have never owned a pair of shoes, while also empowering people to make a difference by cleaning out their closet and donating shoes," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "We are thrilled that Finish Line has graciously agreed to partner with us. The shoes donated by their customers will make a huge impact on the lives of thousands of people in desperate need."

"As an athletic footwear retailer, this is an exciting opportunity to serve those in our community and beyond through Sole Destination," said Derrick Walker, Finish Line Vice President of Marketing. "With this program, our customers have an easy and convenient way to give their shoes a second life."

During "National Barefoot Week", there will distribution events, walkathons, marathons, benefits, and retail trade-in events across the country scheduled for the rest of the week. It will be held each year during the first week of June.

Thousands of churches, civic groups and retailers will act as collection points in the weeks prior to and during Barefoot Week.

To help right now, please go to your local Finish Line store, June 1-July 31, 2008 and donate a pair of new or used shoes and receive $5 off the purchase of a new pair of shoes valued at $25 or more. Offer valid same day only. Some restrictions apply.

Please visit http://www.giveshoes.org/ for trade rules and store locations near you.

About Finish Line
The Finish Line, Inc. is one of the largest mall-based specialty retailers operating under the Finish Line and Man Alive brand names. The Finish Line, Inc. is publicly traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol FINL. The Company currently operates 700 Finish Line stores in 47 states and online and 94 Man Alive stores in 19 states and online.

Twelve-Year Old Makes a Difference

If it's true that you can't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes, 12-year-old Mark Minken may be in good standing.


He's sending more than 500 pairs of shoes — including 16 pairs of his own — to Soles4Souls for distribution to natural disaster victims and others in need.

Mark said he recognizes that shoes are something most people may take for granted.


"But I was just thinking about my ordinary life, and just thinking about the small things, what I couldn't live without," Mark said of the donation he launched as a bar mitzvah project. "(Without shoes) I couldn't do sports or go to school some days because of the weather. Some people don't have that."

The Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School seventh-grader's effort to help others has become a community initiative.


Mark, a Marlboro Jewish Center congregant, set up collections at the synagogue's Chai building, at St. Thomas More Church in Manalapan through his Boy Scout Troop 157, and at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Englishtown through the Knights of Columbus.

So far, he's collected more than 500 pairs. He's aiming to collect 613 pairs to match the number of commandments in the Jewish religious text, the Torah.


He and his mother, Wanda Minken, pick up the footwear in the family's 2008 GMC Yukon or family and friends drop them off at their Clinton Drive home. The shoes — which range from Steve Madden sneakers to Nine West pumps, from Uggs boots to Mark's own favorite pair of white Nikes with a blue swoosh - are being stored in a garage. About 10 to 20 percent of them have been brand new, Minken said.

"It's been like the pebble in the pond," she said. "You drop your pebble and there's all these rings that generate from that one little pebble."


The family plan to ship or deliver the donations themselves to Soles4Souls' Concord, Va., warehouse in the coming months. From there, the footwear will be shipped to areas and organizations in need in 35 states and 50 countries, including camps for disadvantaged children, abused women's shelters and Indian reservations in New Mexico.

Mark said he was pleased the "sole-ful" effort has drawn more local supporters to help victims — like children who were impacted by the May 12 earthquake in China estimated to have killed more than 50,000.

"They were just helpless and couldn't get away from it," Mark said. "I felt bad for them."

"Whenever I lose something I lose a little pride, like, I feel bad for myself," Mark said. "I hope that people who lost stuff, when they get these shoes, maybe they'll get something back from it — like they'll realize that people care about them, that people know what's going on there."

New Warehouse in Nashville

Soles4Souls announced today that it has opened another warehouse in Old Hickory, Tennessee (a suburb of Nashville), to give more options to its supporters on where to send shoe donations.

"As our charity expands, we need to give our supporters more options to keep the shipping costs down," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls Inc. "Our new warehouse in Old Hickory, Tennessee, is the fourth Soles4Souls facility in the United States, and will serve donors in the Central and Upper Midwest regions of the country," he said.

Shoes donated to Soles4Souls are sorted, cleaned, and packaged in the warehouses before being shrinkwrapped and loaded onto pallets. From there, the shoes are sent to partner organizations in the United States and in over 60 countries around the world to help put shoes on the feet of needy people.

Soles4Souls also recently launched a new website to simplify its message and help draw more traffic that explains the charity's programs.

"The website is a vital information tool and we wanted to clearly communicate our mission through videos, personalized stories, rich images and easy opportunities for everyone to get directly involved," said Elsey. "We have created an easy-to-use Participation Location tool that shows all the local drop-off points where our web visitors can go to donate their shoes," he said.

The Participation Location program works very well for retailers, explained Elsey, as stores who are participating benefit from the increased walk-in traffic and greater visibility in their community as a partner in charitable causes. Retailers interested in signing up for the program can find the sign-up forms on the charity's website, at www.giveshoes.org.

Church in Indiana to 'Step Up'

A shoe drive will be take place June 1st at Cross Lane Community Church in Terre Haute, to benefit Soles4Souls. The church is located at 2204 Lafayette Ave and they will be receiving shoes from 9 AM until 1 PM. Cross Lane will be joining many other churches and businesses across the U.S. on "National Barefoot Day."

"National Barefoot Day" is June 1st and is the kickoff to a week long event with various activities scheduled around the country, which will be known as Barefoot Week. There will be shoe drives, fun runs and walkathons, golf tournaments, retail trade-in events, parties and more. All participants are encouraged to donate at least one pair of new or gently worn shoes.

“We can use the shoes taking up space in your closet to change the world one pair at a time,” CEO and founder Wayne Elsey said. “We need our partners in North America 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 most difficult of times,” he said.

In addition, other people, churches, schools and companies interested in donating to the effort can visit www.giveshoes.org and follow the instructions.

Albertsons Announces Shoe Drive

Albertsons, the popular national grocery chain, has announced that they will be hosting a shoe drive at all San Diego, CA area locations. Residents are asked to clean out their closets and recycle their gently worn shoes.

"Albertsons is passionately committed to serving our neighbors in need," said Charla Giles, area vice president, San Diego. "We are partnering with Soles4Souls for the third year in a row to enable our customers to get into the spirit of giving back to those less fortunate."

The drive will start June 1st and last through the 7th. Shoes can be dropped off at the Albertsons stores in the cities of San Diego and San Diego County, Ramona, Fallbrook, Temecula, Murrieta, Lake Ellsinore, Corona, Sun City and Hemet.

Store in Maryland Collects Shoes for Needy

Camillions, a womens' clothing and accessories store in Hagerstown, MD is partnering with Soles4Souls to collect unused shoes.


Claudia Erickson, owner of Camillions, is asking for donations of new and gently used children's, men's and women's shoes in all sizes. A drop-off box is at the store at 13508 Pennsylvania Ave in Hagerstown through June 1st.

Store manager Ruth Zeber said Erickson became aware of Soles4Souls through Brighton, the main product line Camillions carries. Brighton paired with Soles4Souls last year and Camillions chose to participate this year.


"Claudia decided it was a really worthwhile charitable effort," Zeber said.

Soles4Souls to Partner with K.I.D.S.

Soles4Souls has announced that they will be partnering with Kids in Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.) to distribute 325,000 pairs of new shoes in five American cities during National Barefoot Week. Soles4Souls has planed a series of nationwide events to be held June 1-7, 2008.

"National Barefoot Day" will take place on Sunday, June 1, with distribution events, walkathons, marathons, benefits, and retail trade-in events across the country. Each year, Barefoot Week will be held during the first week of June. Thousands of churches, civic groups and retailers will act as collection points in the weeks prior to and during Barefoot Week.

"During Barefoot Week we hope to draw attention to the over 300 million children worldwide who have never owned a pair of shoes," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "Barefoot Week allows Americans to personally participate in a nationwide call to action while reducing the strain on our landfills at the same time."

During this year's Barefoot Week, the charity will donate more than 325,000 pairs of new shoes to needy people in five cities: Miami (June 2), Chicago (June 3), Atlanta (June 4), New Orleans (June 5), and Flagstaff, Arizona (June 6) near the Hopi and Navajo Indian Reservations.

K.I.D.S. will work with local social service agencies in each of these cities to ensure that the shoe distributions are directed to those children most in need. The agencies partner with K.I.D.S. throughout the year to provide new items to children.

"The opportunity to work with Soles4Souls in addressing the needs of children throughout the country is a significant one for Kids in Distressed Situations," said Rick Schaub, K.I.D.S. Chairman. "The five cities that are being targeted have tremendous needs and providing footwear is critical in making their children functional," he said.

Babe's Shoe Drive

Babe's Shoes and Apparel, located in Lakeland FL, is collecting shoes for Soles4Souls. Starting on Friday June 1st, the store will offer a 25 percent discount on shoes to customers who bring in new or gently worn pairs of shoes toward the effort. The store is located at 2537 S. Florida Ave., in Lakeland.

For more information, call 683-6900.

The Non-Profit Times: The Soles4Souls Blog

Blogging From The Top

Ask a techie whether your nonprofit should be blogging and the answer might be, "What are you waiting for?" Ask a nonprofit CEO and the answer could be closer to, "Who's got time?" or "What's the ROI?"

If return on investment (ROI) is the sole measure of success for an endeavor, then a blog might not be for you. However, some nonprofits are turning to blogs to help craft their messages and encourage more active participation with their organizations.

Soles4Souls, a Nashville, Tenn.-based charity that collects and distributes shoes to people who need them, has had a blog since the organization started three years ago. "It's really our means of community," said CEO Wayne Elsey.

Though Soles4Souls gets plenty of media attention, a blog is "our way of being on the 6 o'clock news every day," Elsey said, whether it's reporting about a large donation of shoes received, or a need for donations in response to a disaster. "We get shoes, we give them away. Whether it's a disaster that just happened, whether in Tennessee or overseas, like in Katrina, we just communicate where the need is and where the distribution networks are."While Soles4Souls could update the blog daily, Elsey said it's usually updated three or four times a week. "We really make an effort to do it once a week," he said.

Soles4Souls plans to unveil a redesigned Web site this spring, which will include an expanded blog section where supporters can post their own entries, videos and experiences. The blog will have more of a sense of community, he said, with encouragement to get people plugged in, including more video.

"Honestly, I think it's the way of the future," Elsey said.

Elsey estimates about three or four hours a week is spent either writing for the blog or coming up with ideas for the blog. A blog post could be anything from news about a significant donation, strategic alliance or distribution arrangement. "It's a good way to give credit to people too," Elsey said, such as a 50,000-shoe donation last year from Red Wing Shoes. He recalled one post that was a thank you letter from a man in New Jersey who was the recipient of a donation and later got a job.

Elsey meets for 30 to 60 minutes a week with his publicist to brainstorm ideas for blog posts. When the organization first started a blog, he described it as a funnel "a mile wide and an inch deep." But now the focus is on three areas that it wants to communicate: donations, alliances and distribution.

"The hardest challenge is to tie me down and extract all the information from me," he said. "It's not beneath me, it's an integrate part of our communications mechanism."

Soles4Souls gets about 500,000 hits to its Web site each month, with about 250,000 unique visitors, Elsey said, but did not have statistics immediately available for the blog. Having an updated blog also increases the likelihood of being listed in an Internet search while users also can subscribe directly, by email or RSS feed.

ABOUT.com: Nashville

Soles4Souls appears in Jan Duke's blog, the guide to Nashville seen on About.com:

If you've got a spare pair of shoes lying around, we've found the coolest way for folks to not only clean out their closets of those unwanted shoes, but also be able to help others at the same time. So next time you begin your annual spring cleaning, make yet another "Clean House" resolution, or think about laying out that pair of new or used shoes at your next yard sale, you might want to keep the Nashville based non-profit Souls4Souls in mind.

Souls4Souls started out simply as one mans idea and vision to help those in need and in less than two years it has turned into a wonderful thriving non-profit organization that has found it's own niche by simply providing those in need with new and used footwear. The founder of Souls4Souls, Wayne Elsey says that their goal is simple "They get shoes and they give shoes" and the simplicity of those words even resonates with school age children as several local schools have begun to hold their own shoe drives in support of Souls4Souls.

Recently, we had the opportunity to see the simplicity of Souls4Souls in action, at one of our local schools, when a single classroom of third graders collected up over 600 pairs of shoes (at last count). The Souls4Souls shoe drive was clearly a win-win project as the children were excited to be able to help make a difference and there's no doubt that the recipients will be just as thrilled. Participating in Souls4Souls is a definitely a great way for anyone, especially the younger generation, to really make a difference in the world in a meaningful yet simple way.

Chiropractor Collects Shoes

A midvalley chiropractor in Colorado is joining the effort to get shoes on the feet of the people who need them the most.

Scott Tesoro of Sopris Chiropractic is collecting new and “gently worn” shoes of all types in a collaboration with Soles4Souls. Sopris Chiropractic will accept shoes though June 6 at its offices on the second flood of the Alpine Bank building in Willits and at 20 N. Fourth St. in Carbondale, CO.

Tesoro said he promotes a “Healthy Foot Month” each spring by offering a free foot, ankle, knee and hip evaluation, and he gives discounts on products and services. He wanted to expand the effort to help the needy with their foot issues and discovered Soles4Souls. The organization specializes on getting shoes to residents in areas hit by natural disasters.

“I just found out that Soles4Souls is making a big push to get shoes to the people of Myanmar devastated by the cyclone,” Tesoro said. “I think this is an important time for people to be informed of this organization and the work they are doing.”

Tesoro urged people to clean out their closets and donate unused shoes that are in good shape, (no smelly sneakers that you used to wear to the gym). New shoes also are accepted.

Merle Norman Boutique announces shoe drive

Merle Norman Boutique in Mexia announced today that it is hosting a shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls.

During the shoe drive, Merle Norman will be offering a $25.00 off each purchase of a regular priced Brighton shoes to all customers who bring in gently worn pairs of shoes toward the effort.

The shoe drive will begin on May 16th and last through June 1st. Merle Norman Btq. is located at 400 East Milam in Mexia, Texas.

“What a wonderful and simple way our community can help others. I think it is important for us to learn to help those in need and to teach our next generation to do the same.” said Trudy Cain, store owner.

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 Trudy Cain at 254-562-2582.

'Waste Not-Want Not' Honors Soles4Souls Founder

Waste Not-Want Not, an enterprise of 23rd Street Community Projects, announced that it is presenting its Humanitarian Award of 2008 to Wayne Elsey, the creator and founder Sole4Souls.

The Humanitarian award will be presented during a unique Soles4Souls shoe collection event to be held on June 2nd, 2008 at Eneslow, the Foot Comfort Center of New York, in collaboration with other major footwear vendors such as The Clarks Companies, N.A. and Springboost. All attendees are requested to bring in one or more pairs of gently used or new shoes, for collection and distribution to needy "souls."

Robert S. Schwartz, President of Eneslow stated, "Over the years we have supported many causes and footwear charities. Soles4Souls is so unique and has such a high level of proven support for its mission of putting shoes on all who need them, that we highly support them and their founder Wayne Elsey."

An open invitation is extended to all to attend this special event on Monday, June 2nd 2008, at the Eneslow flagship store located at 470 Park Avenue South @ 32nd Street from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Admission: a minimum of one pair of gently worn shoes.

Each donor will receive a $10.00 discount coupon for a replacement set of new shoes, plus enable them to purchase raffles tickets that could provide them a free pair of shoes valued up to $475.00.

"I am very pleased to receive this Humanitarian Award from Waste Not-Want Not," stated Wayne Elsey. "I am very thankful for the dedicated staff at Soles4Souls and to the thousands of supporters who have donated to the cause."

Soles4Souls has designated June 1st - 7th, 2008 as National Barefoot Week with a nationwide campaign. Eneslow and corporate sponsors The Clarks Companies, N.A. and Springboost will be part of this special national event benefiting the needy and less fortunate.

Soles4Souls receives 10,885 pairs of Shoes from Vorhees Mall

Soles4Souls received one of the largest shoe donations from a mall in Voorhees, New Jersey. Nearly 11,000 pair of shoes were compiled during the creative shoe drive, which encouraged community members to "Step into the Future" of something new and exciting with the renovation of the mall.

Mall organizers felt it was appropriate to help those hurting worldwide and in need of footwear for their everyday steps. There was also a children's art contest that ran concurrently, and prizes were awarded to the winners.

Some of the companies and schools that participated in making the event a great success were Boscov's, Clementon School, E.T. Hamilton School, Harrington Middle School, Italian Treasures, and IMC Construction.

"The mall's initial goal was to collect 6,000 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls; with the overwhelming response from the community, we almost doubled the amount of donations," said Lori L. Anzivino, Marketing Director of The Mall at Voorhees Town Center. "We were also able to secure a local trucking company, Wayne Moving & Storage out of West Chester, PA, to donate their time to deliver the shoe donations to the distribution in Concord, VA."

Brighton Collectibles Collecting Shoes Through June 1st

Brighton Collectibles in Coconut Point, FL will collect new or gently-worn shoes through June 1 to donate to Soles4Souls.


Each person who drops off a pair of shoes at a Brighton Collectibles store can enter a drawing for a free pair of Brighton footwear.


Soles4Souls plans to donate new shoes to needy people in five cities: New Orleans, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, and Taylor, Ariz on Barefoot Day, June 1.


For details about National Barefoot Day, visit http://www.giveshoes.org/ or http://www.brighton.com/.

Rachel Ray Asks Viewers to Donate Shoes to Soles4Souls

Rachael Ray, celebrated TV talk show host, bestselling cookbook author, and editor-in-chief of her own lifestyle magazine, appealed to her audience on Tuesday to donate shoes to footwear charity Soles4Souls. The plea followed a segment in which one Rachael Ray guest sorted through her massive shoe collection to help benefit the charity.


Rachael Ray knows that most women take their shoe shopping very seriously, but even those who love their heels are probably not as devoted as guest Susan Discorfano-Caiafa.

"My house is overridden by shoes," says the 41-year-old, who admits to having 358 pairs of shoes in her collection.

With the help of Rachael and Gretta Monahan, the famed shoe designer from QVC, Susan was able to sort through her collection and donate a staggering 170 pairs of shoes to Soles4Souls.

Rachael was so impressed by Susan's efforts and the generosity of her audience, which also donated shoes to Soles4Souls, that she has challenged her viewers at home to do the same.

As an added incentive to get involved, people who pledge donations through the show's website (www.rachaelrayshow.com) will be entered to win a new pair of shoes designed by Monahan herself.

"We are thrilled that Rachael Ray asked viewers to donate their shoes to us for distribution to people in need," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "The shoes donated by Susan, Rachael's audience and viewers will make an enormous difference in the lives of people here in the U.S. and around the world who lack any kind of decent footwear."

Stephanie Smith Rocking Out, Calling for Shoe Drives

Christian rocker Stephanie Smith is a big supporter of Soles4Souls. She was told about the organization from a friend at her label, Gotee Records. In a recent interview with BREATHEcast, she explained why she wanted to get involved.

"Soles4Souls is basically: get shoes, give shoes. It’s a great way where my audience, high school students, can start serving and ministering, and being involved with helping others," she said. "I spent some time in Mozambique, Africa, and in Guatemala, and Gotee knows that’s a big part of me."

Stephanie wanted to incorporate those experiences she had with the people in developing countries in with her music. With a new album due out later this month and scheduled performances throughout the rest of the year, she is ready to follow her passion for music, youth, and her faith. She plans to let her fans know about Soles4Souls whenever she gets a chance.

"It’s a practical way we can serve without having to leave for 3 weeks," she said. "I can challenge my audience to host a shoe drive. It's just a perfect fit."

Nashville Police Collecting Shoes

In the past couple of months, the Metro Nashville Police Department has collected over 2,400 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls to be distributed to the needy worldwide.

In addition, Sgt. DeLap, the Police Department’s liaison, connected with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Department and got them to participate in the drive as well. Sgt. DeLap and Soles4Souls staff members delivered 12 additional collection bins to the six Davidson County Sheriff's offices spread throughout the greater Nashville Davidson County area.

The show of support from the Nashville Law Enforcement community has been huge and has helped contribute to our mission of “Changing the World One Pair at a Time."

Sous le Lit shoes and accessories host shoe drive

Sous le Lit shoes and accessories announced today that it is hosting a shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls. During the shoe drive, Sous le Lit will be offering a 10% discount to all customers who bring in gently worn pairs of shoes toward the effort.

The shoe drive began on May 1, 2008 and will end on May 31, 2008. Sous le Lit is located at 2340 West Main St., in Historical Downtown Littleton, CO.

"We are delighted to help support Soles4Souls in their effort to supply shoes to people who need them. We applaud them on this important project." said Judy Bowers, Sous le Lit.

"We are thrilled that Sous le lit is acting on our behalf to spread joy to people, both here in the United States and around the world," said Wayne Elsey, Founder of Soles4Souls. "It is only because of proactive retail stores, such as Sous le Lit shoes and accessories, that we are able to accomplish our goal of getting shoes on the feet of people who need them most."

For more information, visit http://www.souslelit.com/.

North Carolina Store has Sole

From MountainTimes.com:

Who would have thought that just by doing a little spring cleaning in your closet you could help change the world? The people at Soles4Souls had just that idea.

In 2004, just after the tsunami devastated coastal communities around the Indian Ocean, a loosely-knit group of individuals and organizations came together to assist in the recovery effort by providing one of the most basic needs for people who have lost everything – shoes.

By the time Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. Gulf Coast, the group was more organized, and through their efforts, almost a million pairs of shoes were collected to help those in Louisiana and Mississippi.

High Country residents can help with efforts to aid victims around the world by bringing gently-used or new shoes to the Mast General Store now through May 31.

“We saw this as a great opportunity to involve both our employees and our home communities,” said Fred Martin, vice president of the Mast General Store. “Most of us have shoes that are just taking up space in the bottom of our closets. Why shouldn’t they go to help those in need?”

This is the second year for the Soles4Souls shoe drive at Mast Store. Last year’s efforts garnered more than 2,000 pairs of shoes. Representatives from Soles4Souls commented that they love seeing such a successful retailer-driven shoe drives.

Soles4Souls can use just about any type of shoe – boots, sandals, dress shoes, work boots, etc. They should be gently-used or new. Bind them together with rubber bands and place them in the Soles4Souls collection boxes at any Mast Store location now until May 31.

For more information, call the Mast General Store in Boone at (828) 262-0000 or Valle Crucis at (828) 963-6511 or visit www.Soles4Souls.org.

HealthyShoeStore.com and TOSH Shoe Drive

HealthyShoeStore.com in cooperation with Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital recently put on a highly successful shoe drive, collecting 1250 pairs of shoes to be donated to Soles4Soles and distributed to needy children and adults in the U.S. and abroad.

The Thousand Oaks Soles4Soles shoe donation drive was organized and administrated by Podiatrist Jeff Hurless, who serves as the medical director of HealthyShoeStore.com and a podiatrist and foot surgeon on staff at Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital (TOSH).

"Working with Dr. Hurless in this shoe drive has been a wonderful experience for our staff and community; the support has been impressive," stated Michael D. Bass, chief executive officer of Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital. "Knowing that we've played a part in touching the lives of over 1200 people is truly an honor."

Spurred by the dedication of HealthyShoeStore.com and TOSH employees, the entire Thousand Oaks community pooled their resources and concentrated their efforts to ensure that the Soles4Soles shoe drive would be a success.

In addition to the participation of HealthyShoeStore.com and hospital employees, local area middle schools, churches, and doctor's offices all played a role in collecting donations and spreading the word about the donation campaign to the community at large.

UPS was generous enough to donate a large portion of the cost of shipping the 1250 shoes to the Soles4Soles west coast distribution center in Las Vegas, NV.

Dr. Hurless was both surprised and grateful for the extent of the community's involvement in the drive.

"The combined efforts of my office, TOSH, and overwhelming individual contributions from the community made this shoe drive a true success," stated Dr. Jeffrey Hurless, "Thank you to everyone who participated."

Soles4Souls Collecting Shoes at "Middle Half" Run

Registration for the Murfreesboro Half Marathon presented by Middle Tennessee Medical Center begins May 1, 2008. Soles4Souls will be collecting new and gently worn shoes at the second annual "Middle Half" run held in October. Last year’s race sold out with 1000 participants in only 34 days.

“We’ve increased the limit to 2000 runners and lowered the age limit to 14,” said Natalie Tate, race director. “Last year we wanted to learn how to conduct a race on a smaller scale with fewer runners. We’re ready for more participants this year.”

New features are being added for the 2008 race. Spectators along the course are encouraged to cheer on the runners with signs and music. Admission is free to the MTSU Track and Soccer field where the runners will cross the finish line.

This year, look for Soles4Souls donation boxes to drop off your unwanted shoes. Runners and spectators are encouraged to bring all styles and sizes of men's, woman's and kids footwear.

Runners may register online at http://www.themiddlehalf.com/.

24 Hour Fitness and Soles4Souls celebrates Earth Day in Texas

24 Hour Fitness has announced that they have joined forces with Soles4Souls in a statewide shoe trade-in event. Beginning last Tuesday in honor of Earth Day, all 24 Hour Fitness clubs throughout Texas invite members and guests to bring in their old, new, or "gently used" shoes to be recycled for those in need.

"We are delighted to partner with 24 Hour Fitness and give people another way to recycle their shoes," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "Far too many shoes already end up in our landfills when they could benefit a person in need, and our friends at 24 Hour Fitness recognize that giving people an easy and fun way to participate will help reduce the strain on our environment," he said.

People interested in learning more about the Earth Day partnership between 24 Hour Fitness and Soles4Souls can visit http://www.giveshoes.org/ or stop by one of the 71 participating 24 Hour Fitness clubs throughout Texas. Shoe donations will be accepted through June 7, 2008. To find a convenient 24 Hour Fitness location in your area, log on to: http://www.24hourfitness.com/ or call 1-800-224-0240.

University Students seek to Collect 10,000 pair

The students, faculty and staff of Binghamton University are partnering with Soles4Souls to collect 10,000 pairs of shoes to benefit orphans, victims of natural disasters and others in need.

Donation drop boxes have been placed in every residence hall across campus and the six-week drive will be concluding May 9th, the last day of classes.

Soles4Souls collects shoes of every style, size and for any event, although sneakers are often the most needed.

Soles4Souls on Well Fed Network

The Well Fed Network is a compilation of blogs focused normally on high quality food and wine-based content.

This week, they put their utensils and glasses away to help people with their spring cleaning. This is usually the time of year people want to reduce clutter and create more closet space. The WFN spotlighted great places to recycle all kinds of items and keep them out of landfills.

Soles4Souls was mentioned as the place to donate your gently worn shoes. Donating your unused shoes eliminates clutter, saves room in our landfills and it helps someone in need.

Calling All (Tennessee) Runners!

The Inaugural Soles4Souls 10K Run and 5K Run/Walk was listed in Runner's World (www.RunnersWorld.com) -- one of the premier publications in the world of running. The event will be held on SATURDAY, Sept 13, 2008, at the Metro Center Greenway 2214 Rosa L. Parks Blvd (Formally MetroCenter Blvd.), in Nashville , TN.

For more information, please contact our guru of running, KIRK KELLERHALS, at kirkk@soles4souls.org.

Here's a description of the Event & Course:

COMPETITION WALK/RUN: 5K 4:30pm
COMPETITION RUN/RACE: 10K 5:00pm

Fast, flat certified MetroCenter courses that include both surface streets and the beautiful waterfront of the MetroCenter Greenway. USATF Course Certified. CHAMPIONSHIP TIMING Each participant will receive a "Technical" commemorative shirt. Post race refreshments. Door prize drawings for participants after the race. Awards will be given to top 3 finishes overall, and 5 year age groups to 80 +. Awards include running gear and entries into local 1/2 Marathons and other local running events! Whether you run, walk, or crawl across the finish line of the 10 or 5 K event, you will be eligible for the random grand prize drawing for an expenses paid trip to the P.F. Chang's Arizona Rock and Roll Marathon or 1/2 Marathon in January 2009!!! PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT "Soles4Souls". Please bring a pair of shoes to donate to help the Soles4Souls mission!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1565416

Central Baptist Church Shoe Drive

In the early 1990s, Rick Clark, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Anderson County, KY, learned first-hand of the urgent need for decent shoes in some parts of the world. So when the convention with which his church is affiliated urged member churches to become involved with Soles4Souls, Clark stepped forward and got involved.

"I've never forgotten our interpreter when we were on a mission in Africa," Clark said, as he displayed a pair of sandals made from an old car tire. "He was wearing these. I said, 'if I buy you a new pair, can I have these?'"

The Central Baptist Church has collected 392 pair of shoes to date. Their goal is to collect 1,000 pair by the end of April.

"We need good, clean, used or new shoes, we will take all types and sizes" Clark said. "The contributions will be used in the U.S. and around the world."

Drop the shoes off 24 hours a day, seven days a week at Central Baptist Church, on the U.S. 127 Bypass near the Franklin/Anderson County line, or call (502) 829-5013 or (502) 319-0903 to have someone pick them up.

-Jay Cason
The Anderson News

Maggie Anne Shoe Drive

The Maggie Anne Shoppe in Hillsdale, MI is hosting a shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls. The drive began March 26th at the boutique at 50 N. Howell St., Hillsdale, and will end April 12.

During the shoe drive, Maggie Anne’s will be offering a 15 percent discount for shoes to all customers who bring in new or gently worn pairs of shoes toward the effort.

“I have been looking for a great cause to get involved in and when this one came across my desk, I knew it was one Maggie Anne’s would be proud to participate in,” said Patti Bailey, store co–owner.

Bailey said people don’t have to take advantage of the store discount to participate.

“They can just donate shoes they don’t need, whether it’s men’s, women’s or children’s shoes,” she said.

The Nashville–based Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of both new and used shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide, said Wayne Elsey, founder of Soles4Souls.

“We are thrilled that Maggie Anne’s is acting on our behalf to spread joy to people, both here in the United States and around the world,” Elsey said in a press release. “It is only because of proactive retail stores, such as Maggie Anne’s that we are able to accomplish our goal of getting shoes on the feet of people who need them most.”

Employee Norma Moore said she looks forward to participating in the shoe drive as a way to do some spring cleaning while benefiting others.

“It’s real important to see these kinds of drives,” Moore said. “We’re so lucky to have what we have. I know my closet is full of shoes I no longer need. It’s good knowing that shoes I don’t use can be used for someone else who needs them.”

For more information on how to get involved with the shoe drive and take advantage of the discount toward a new pair of shoes, contact Bailey at (517) 439–1334.

Tennessee Titan helps out Soles4Souls

NFL Safety Chris Hope stopped by the Nashville Rescue Mission in between a busy day of team workouts on Wednesday to participate in the Soles4Souls Shoe Donation, an event benefiting local persons in need by providing them with new pairs of shoes. A strong supporter of the organization, Hope pledged $100 for every tackle he made in 2007 to Souls4Souls, accumulating in a $6,000 donation. Hope will again pledge $100 for every tackle he makes in 2008.

Held in the usual game lounge for visitors of the Mission, Soles4Souls provided 1,000 pairs of new shoes to residents of the Nashville community. The event marked the third shoe distribution within the past 10 months in the charity’s ongoing commitment to those in need of one of our most overlooked necessities — shoes. Hope helped recipients try on shoes, find the right style and locate the right sizes, all the while providing words of encouragement.

Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls Wayne Elsey commented on how much it meant to the participants to have Hope lending his time to the event.

“Having Chris involved lets them (today's recipients) know that they are important to him. To give them a pair of shoes, something that we take for granted everyday, will help them out in the future and help put a smile on their face,” said Elsey.

Inspired by the large turnout, Hope talked about what it meant to him personally to be involved with the shoe drive and why Soles4Souls is one of his favorite organizations.

“Working with Soles4Souls gives me the chance to give my time, meet people in need, and touch them in a different way. When you give someone a pair of shoes, you can see their faces light up, almost like they're a kid again,” said Hope.

“I consider it a real blessing to be involved in something like this, and I’m thankful I was able to participate.”

The Titans hosted a Shoe Drive to benefit Soles4Souls this past season versus the Houston Texans on Sunday, Dec. 2 at LP Field. Titans fans helped donate approximately 7,400 shoes during the drive to benefit events and non-profit organizations such as the Nashville Rescue Mission.

Shoe Carnival Partners with Soles4Souls

Most of us have lots of shoes we no longer wear. According to one estimate, more than one billion pair of shoes lay idle in American closets. Yet there are millions of people both here in the United States and around the world in desperate need of footwear.

That’s why Shoe Carnival is teaming up with Soles4Souls, to provide a basic, yet indispensable gift that most of us take for granted: the gift of shoes.

"The partnership with Soles4Souls is a great fit for Shoe Carnival. Their mission to provide shoes for those in need is a message that resonates with our customers," said Todd Beurman, Senior Vice President of Marketing. "We are proud to partner with Soles4Souls to help provide families all over the world with much-needed footwear," he said.

At Shoe Carnival you’ll find an open format, catchy music, and friendly associates set the stage for a wonderful shopping experience. Throw an unbelievable product assortment, great brand names and value pricing in the mix and you get a one-stop footwear destination that satisfies the needs of the entire family.

Shoe Carnival is partnering with Soles4Souls from March 30th to April 5th. Simply bring in a pair of gently worn shoes to any participating Shoe Carnival store and receive a $5 coupon good towards any thing in the store. All the footwear collected during this special charitable event will go to Soles4Souls.

“We are thrilled that Shoe Carnival has chosen to partner with Soles4Souls,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “The shoes donated by their customers will make a huge impact on the lives of thousands of people in desperate need.”

About Shoe Carnival
Shoe Carnival is a chain of 293 footwear stores located in the Midwest, South and Southeast. Headquartered in Evansville, Ind., Shoes Carnival trades on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol SCVL.

Shoes Distributed to Families in Romania

Soles4Souls partnered with Assist International to donate over 2,000 pairs of shoes to poor families in Romania.

Assist International, a non-profit based in Santa Cruz, CA has been involved with many relief efforts in Romania since 1990. One of the projects that AI has been involved with is the building of the Caminul Felix villages, a place where orphaned or abandoned children join a loving family and find community. All of the children and adults in the Caminul Felix villages were delighted to receive the new shoes.

"They were so grateful for the gift of such quality shoes," stated Bob Pagett, the President of Assist International. "You can’t imagine the blessing that these shoes were and are to the children and poor adults of Romania."

Senator Radu Tirle, one of 35 Parliament members in Romania, helped distribute some of the other shoes to children from poor families in two of the poorest villages in Bihor County.

“I just cannot explain the sweet spirit of these meetings, the joy of the people receiving these shoes,” said Senator Tirle. "The people have told me of their struggles of sending their children to school due to a lack of financial resources. They were so grateful to receive shoes for their children."

The Shoes also went to at least 55 churches who distributed them to the poor and needy. Some shoes went to a Mental Hospital for Children, some to Romanian shelters and others to the city jail in Oradea. Bob Pagett said that no shoes were left over and every pair donated was used for someone in need.

"Each distribution has a story. If over 10,000 pairs of shoes were donated, there are 10,000 stories of appreciation," he said.

Soles in Motion Wants You!

The Soles4Souls Race Team, Soles In Motion has officially launched in the Nashville Area and will launch nationwide shortly.

There will be an informational meeting at the Soles4Souls Corporate Offices on Friday, April 11th at 6:00PM for anyone interested in running for an awesome cause. The Soles In Motion Race Team is currently recruiting Team Members and Running Coaches to run the Inaugural San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon on November 16, 2008. Training for this event will begin the 1st week in May.

Whether you are a couch potato or a seasoned Marathoner, we have a training program and experienced Running Coaches on board that will help you prepare to run or walk a Marathon or 1/2 Marathon. As Soles4Souls is officially partnered with Elite Racing (Management company for all the Rock and Roll Series Marathons nationwide) there will be a variety of Elite Racing events that Team Members can take part in. The next race on the Soles In Motion Calendar after San Antonio is the P.F. Chang’s Arizona Rock and Roll Marathon in January 2009!

If you live outside of the Nashville, Tennessee area and want to establish a Soles In Motion Chapter in your area, we will have a turn-key program set up to get you "up and running!"

For more information or to reserve your place at the informational meeting, please contact the Soles In Motion Program Director, Kirk at Kirkk@Soles4Souls.org. Space IS LIMITED...so don’t wait until it’s TOO LATE!

Students Collect Shoes for 5K Race

The students at Groveland Elementary in Bucks County, PA did a tremendous job collecting over 600 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls in March. Another 100 pairs of shoes were also collected from a few YMCA locations.

The students are collecting the shoes in anticipation of the Second Annual Groveland Great Grizzly 5K Race and 1-mile Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, April 5, 2008, at 9 a.m. The registration deadline for the race this Monday, March 24. To register, go to www.greatgrizzlyrun.com/.

Proceeds from the event will go towards the Groveland Elementary Wellness Committee and the Plumsteadville Volunteer Fire Company.

It is not too late to donate shoes and help those in need. You can donate new or gently used shoes of any kind or size at the school (1100 North Easton Road) throughout March or at the event on April 5. The shoes will be shipped to Soles4Souls in the first part of April for distribution.

Great job Groveland Elementary Students!

Soles4Souls Partners with Shoetube

Shoetube.tv has exploded onto the web scene with more force than a massive Manolo Blahnik sale. The new Web 2.0 channel focuses solely on shoes the latest trends, the hottest styles, and even the best ways to use footwear in a charitable cause.

By partnering with footwear charity Soles4Souls, Shoetube.tv is aiming to also raise participation, donations, and engagement with the shoe charity.

"We are so delighted to partner with the creative minds at Powderhouse Productions, the creators of Shoetube.tv," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "We are also extreme footwear lovers from sleek running shoes to rugged work boots and the coolest sandals on the beach. But we believe that giving away a pair of new shoes to someone in need is even more satisfying than buying the latest and greatest styles, and we want to thank Shoetube.tv for giving us a channel on their website to promote participation," he said.

According to Elsey, it's clear that Americans have a love affair with shoes.

The average American woman currently owns 19 pairs, and American men own nine," he said. "What is less known is that we tossed more than 300 million pairs of shoes into our own landfills last year, while the same number of children around the world have never owned a single pair," he said.

"Buying shoes is a guilty pleasure for some women," says Marcy McCreary, director of new media marketing & business development at Powderhouse Productions. "But if women can balance their shoe buying with some shoe giving, everyone benefits."

Shoetube.tv and Soles4Souls aim to change that statistic by connecting footwear lovers with an easy way to donate their own gently worn shoes. And what if the viewers at Shoetube.tv simply can't part with one of the many shoes in their own closets? Not a problem, says Elsey. For every single dollar donated to the charity online a pair of shoes can be sent around the world, destined for delivery to a child in need. So you don't have to really part with those Manolo Blahniks...until next season's arrivals, of course.

Shoe Display Discourages Teen Smoking

Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois had 1,200 pairs of shoes scattered throughout the front lawn last Friday. Tobacco prevention staff from the DuPage County Health Department spread the shoes across the lawn as part of Project 1200, as a way to illustrate to students the number of people who die each day in the United States from tobacco and secondhand smoke.

The shoes were donated by parents throughout the school district and will be donated to Soles4Souls after the display is over.

Signs were also placed next to the shoes that read "each pair of shoes represents an American who has died due to tobacco-related illness" and "cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in America."

Students for Students - a substance-abuse prevention club on campus - partnered with the Health Department to sponsor the project. Gilda Ross, the club's adviser, said club members wanted to put focus on alcohol and other drugs this year.

Because most smokers begin using cigarettes as teenagers, Ross said raising awareness of the dangers of tobacco is urgent at Glenbard and other high schools.

Very few people begin using tobacco as adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost all first-time tobacco use has occurred by the time youth graduate from high school.

Marathon Participants Helping the Environment and Soles4Souls

Centered around St. Patrick's Day, the Virginia Beach-based Shamrock Marathon always has displayed a fair share of green.

This year, the 36th of the race, the event is going green in another way - by becoming environmentally friendly.

The Shamrock Marathon, which starts at 8 a.m. Sunday, has been certified as a Virginia Green event, the first event to receive that certification in the Commonwealth, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

One of the measures taken has been to provide 50 recycling receptacles for people to dispose of cans, bottles, cardboard and other materials. The traditional disposable plastic goody bags have given way to cloth backpacks.

Runners are also encouraged to donate their shoes. Those with sneakers that haven't incurred too much wear and tear will have the opportunity to donate them to Soles4Souls. (Anyone who stops by the Sports and Fitness Expo at the Virginia Beach Convention Center today or Saturday can donate shoes as well). Soles4Souls has supplied shoes to victims of natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina.

Race director Amy Frostick said she thinks the benefits are worthwhile.

"My husband (co-director Jerry) and I try to make an impact ourselves, as much as we can live green and look out for the environment," she said.

As many as 18,000 people are expected to participate in the Shamrock events, an increase of about 18 percent from 2007.

UCSB Men's Volleyball Team Hosts Drive

The UCSB (University California Santa Barbara) men's volleyball team do a lot more than just bump, set and spike. On February 20th, they collected almost 200 pairs of shoes during their first ever shoe drive. Last week, when they played the UCLA Bruins at Robertson Gymnasium in Santa Barbara, all 197 pairs of shoes and sneakers were donated to Soles4Souls.

Many thanks to those that contributed!

Allen Edmonds to partner with Soles4Souls

An estimated one billion pairs of shoes lay idle in American closets, while millions of people in world and in the U.S. do not own even a single pair. That is why Allen Edmonds decided to team up with Soles4Souls and asking you to let someone walk a mile in your shoes, literally.

Simply bring in a new or gently used pair of shoes to Allen Edmonds stores and receive a generous $50 off a new pair of Allen Edmonds! The shoes you donate can be any size, style or gender, we just ask that they have some life left. The shoe drive begins March 7th and will last until the 23rd. View AllenEdmonds to see a list of participating stores.

"We are honored to partner with Soles4Souls to support its mission to donate footwear to those in need," said Mark Birmingham, President and CEO of Allen Edmonds Shoe Corporation. "It is a simple way to make a difference in the lives of many."

Founded in 1922, Allen Edmonds manufactures premium men's footwear and accessories using the philosophy of quality, service and integrity. They view shoemaking as an art form and carefully craft each shoe by hand that includes 212 separate production steps. Allen Edmonds products are available at upscale stores worldwide and on the internet.

Donate Shoes and Save 10% with Marmi!

Marmi Shoes has the philosophy to provide women with quality footwear that looks great, feels great and fits great. Marmi has always carried the latest in footwear fashions and have already busted out their new Spring styles. Come check out some new fashionable designs in a variety of sizes. And your favorite brands are always available.

Now you can save 10% off your next purchase of Marmi shoes by simply bringing in a new or gently worn pair of shoes to any one of their twenty-nine locations. From February 15th until the 29th, Marmi will be hosting the nationwide shoe drive to be donated to Soles4Souls for distribution.

To find a store location near you, visit Marmi Shoes now!

Recycled Runners Features Soles4Souls

Every day sports enthusiasts go through countless pairs of running and other athletic shoes. RecycledRunners.com is the first web site that offers a recycling and donation directory that helps each user find local and international shoe programs. For the month of February, Recycled Runners will be featuring Soles4Souls as the charity of the month.

And now you can support Soles4Souls through Recycled Runners. Any sale no matter if it is running shoes, regular shoes or whatever will be given credit toward the Soles4Souls. It doesn’t cost you a dime, you get free shipping and you get to help people! Go to recycledrunners.com for more information.

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.

Shoe drive continues at Voorhees mall

The Mall at Voorhees Town Center in Philadelphia, continues to seek shoes for its shoe drive, which has collected more than 6,000 pairs for Soles4Souls.

In 2007, the mall invited the community to “Step into the Future” of something new and exciting with the mall’s transformation into the new Voorhees Town Center. When the redevelopment began, the mall felt it was appropriate to help those hurting worldwide and in need of footwear for their everyday steps.

As a result, the mall as collected over 6,000 pairs of new and lightly worn shoes for Soles4Souls. With such great success and response from the community, the mall has decided to extend the shoe drive.

The mall's goal is to collect 8,000 pairs by Feb. 29. Shoppers can drop off new or slightly worn shoes at customer service and donation boxes throughout the mall.

Barefoot Coach raises over 100,000 pairs of shoes

IUPUI coach Ron Hunter wore his usual garb to last Thursday's home game, a black shirt, vest and slacks, ready to coach the Jaguars against Oakland University in a Summit League game.

The only things missing were his shoes.

It was the most visible facet of his campaign to collect athletic shoes for children in need in Africa, distributed by Samaritan's Feet. Hunter's original goal was collecting 30,000 pairs. After news of his endeavor started to spread and shoes started coming in, he mentioned he might increase the goal to 40,000, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By tip-off, he had 110,000 pairs.

A crowd of more than 1,000 attended the game at IUPUI Gymnasium -- and some of the students showed up barefoot, in support of Hunter.

Soles4Souls donated 40,000 pairs to the cause. Wal-Mart gave 25,000. Nine West, Converse and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security also chipped in.

"When we started this I thought 40,000 was going to be tough," Hunter told the Indianapolis Star. "When they told me before the game we already had 100,000, honestly, I almost broke down in tears."

Hunter, with a fresh pedicure, coached the Jaguars to a 82-69 victory. He's not noted for sitting down during games while he's wearing shoes, and that applied to his shoeless state as well.

"My feet hurt so bad," he told The Star after the game. "But imagine a child or a human going their whole lives without shoes."

Hunter, 43, has said he has been deeply affected by the mission he's joined, and his players have been touched as well. Some of them are intending to join Hunter this summer, when he flies to Africa to help distribute the shoes. Hunter has said he would like to go specifically to Cameroon, the homeland of Jaguars freshman guard Christian Siakam.

Kids in North Carolina collect shoes

A local elementary school in Wilmington, North Carolina is helping needy people around the world get back on their feet.


Fifth grader John-Paul Verardi along with North Topsail Elementary School organized a shoe drive.

Students and parents were asked to bring in new shoes to be distributed to people around the world including those who are less fortunate than us. Many of the shoes will go to those living in Darfur.


The school's principal says the effort has taught the students an important lesson.

"I think overall, the effort from our children, souls4souls is another way to teach our children the importance of helping others," said North Topsail Principal Georgia Fonbille.

North Topsail Elementary is also sponsoring a food drive that will go toward those less fortunate during the holidays.

Super Shoe Drive

In December, Super Shoe sponsored a shoe drive that helped benefit Souls4Souls. The shoe drive ran in all 40 Super Shoe stores in seven states and resulted in the donation of 7,650 pairs of shoes.

Customers donated new or gently worn shoes and received a coupon for $5 off their next purchase.

Souls4Souls partners with various charities and governments around the world to provide shoes to orphanages, refugees, homeless and those who have been impacted by disasters.

Super Shoe would like to thank everyone for a successful drive!

Vineyard collects 231 pairs of shoes

Pride Mountain Vineyard in Santa Rosa, California does more than produce award winning wines. The company has collected 231 pairs of shoes that are packed and ready to be shipped to Soles4Souls. The project was spearheaded by two Pride Mountain employees, Tim Bouchet and Katherine Rantz.

Over the holidays, co-workers, friends, and colleagues from neighboring wineries cleaned out their closets and brought shoes they were no longer wearing to Pride.

The shoes collected at Pride will be shipped to a warehouse in Las Vegas and then forwarded on to Sole4Soul's hub in Roanoke, Alabama. Once in the distribution center, the shoes will be inspected for suitability, sorted by gender and size, packaged into common Soles4Souls boxes, and shrink-wrapped together onto a shipping pallet. There the footwear will await distribution to the first qualified charity or regional partner who expresses a need.

Great job Pride Mountain Vineyard!

Shoe Display to Remember Sex Assault Victims in Minnesota

A display being designed in northern St. Louis County will include 2,121 pairs of shoes to represent victims of sexual assault.

Artist Jill Aubin said 707 pairs of shoes will be displayed on a cross, with the rest being incorporated around the base of the piece. Visitors will get a chance to write a prayer or wish to be attached to a tree in the exhibit, Aubin said.

The Sexual Assault Program of Northern St. Louis County served 707 victims of sexual abuse in 2006, and the rest of the shoes represent the estimated number of victims who never sought help, Aubin said.

The display will be shown April 1-15 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Mountain Iron before traveling to Crookston and then Brainerd for a statewide conference, Aubin said.

Aubin hopes the exhibit will travel throughout the state and beyond before it is dismantled and the shoes are sent to an orphanage and group that assists sexually abused women in Honduras. Larger shoes will be sent to a U.S.-based organization called Soles4Souls.

"It's an important message to put out there" about the prevalence of sexual assault, Aubin said.
Organizers have collected about 500 pairs of shoes so far and are encouraging members of the community to donate more.

Soles4Souls Donates $1 Million to Two Ten Footwear Foundation

Soles4Souls announced that they are donating $1 million to the Two Ten Footwear Foundation to establish the 'Soles4Souls Relief Fund.' The endowment will be earmarked for Two Ten's domestic relief program.

"Two Ten is a remarkable organization and we feel honored to support them in this way," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "In addition to their scholarship programs, Two Ten provides vital financial support to families in the footwear industry during times of crisis. This new endowment exemplifies our strong commitment to domestic relief programs and to giving back to the industry that has been so generous to us," Elsey said.

"We are so grateful to Soles4Souls for this generous gift -- a visible commitment to the footwear industry and those in need," said Peggy Kim Meill, President of Two Ten Footwear Foundation.

"This munificent gift goes into the very fabric of our mission as a relief organization. We have recently witnessed a significant increase in requests for assistance, and this donation from Soles4Souls could not be more vitally important to our foundation in being able to respond to the growing needs of our constituencies," she said.

According to Tim O'Donovan, Two Ten Board Chair, the donation is the second largest ever received by Two Ten for its relief program -- and the largest relief endowment established in the last decade.

"This is indeed a timely gift for Two Ten and the families in the footwear industry that we support," he said. "We are frequently called upon during traumatic events that require immediate financial assistance, and Soles4Souls is helping us make a major difference in the lives of people during the worst of times," he said.

Elsey added that the endowment underscores the strong commitment by Soles4Souls to partner with effective organizations inside the footwear industry.

"Two Ten is a lifeline to people within the shoe world. We can't think of a better way to reach out to hurting people inside our industry than coming alongside Two Ten. We sincerely hope that others will be inspired to act in a similar manner and support the excellent programs administered by Two Ten," he said.

About Two Ten Footwear Foundation

For nearly 70 years, the Two Ten Foundation has made a positive difference in the lives of people in the footwear industry. By providing counseling, financial assistance and community building events, Two Ten represents the footwear industry's commitment to philanthropy. Two Ten is located in Waltham, MA and serves clients throughout the United States. For more information please call us at 800-346-3210 or visit us on the web at http://www.twoten.org/.

Soles4Souls at the Arizona Rock n' Roll Marathon

As seen in the Arizona Republic:

Soles4Souls, a global organization that provides free footwear to people in need, will hold a shoe drive at the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon & 1/2 Marathon. Volunteers with information on the charity will be at the Health and Fitness Expo today and Saturday at the Phoenix Convention Center.

Representatives from Soles4Souls will staff drop boxes at the expo and at the finish line Sunday so runners and spectators can donate new or gently worn shoes or money for shipping the shoes to needy areas of the world.

See Kai Run Contributes to Soles4Souls

In its continuing commitment to share its shoes with children who need them most, See Kai Run, popular manufacturer of the perfect first shoe for new walkers, is once again teaming up with Soles4Souls for a year end contribution. Soles4Souls will be receiving over 1,500 pairs of See Kai Run shoes for distribution.

"We're happy to end the year on a high note and share our success by helping children around the world," said founder Cause Haun. "We're grateful to have the opportunity to partner with Soles4Souls, who can effectively bring our shoes to those who need them."

See Kai Run are hand-crafted from butter-soft leather padded collars and a breathable leather lining. Soles are constructed from extremely flexible leather, allowing new walkers lots of freedom to move while protecting their feet on all kinds of terrain.

Ravenscroft 3rd Graders in The News Observer

Ravenscroft third-graders Allison Arber and Ryan Gerard are leading a shoe drive to collect new and gently used shoes for Soles4Souls, a nonprofit organization whose mission is "to impact as many lives as possible with the gift of shoes."




The New Balance Store in Raleigh provided containers for the Ravenscroft students.
Ravenscroft's involvement with the project began when Ryan went into the New Balance store to purchase a new pair of shoes and was asked by a New Balance employee if he would like to donate his old ones to Soles4Souls, according to a press release from the school.


"This is a really great program that started in the wake of the 2004 tsunami," said Mark Allard, who owns the Raleigh and Durham New Balance stores with his wife, Kathy.



Mark Allard said that Soles4Souls delivered more than a million pairs to victims of Hurricane Katrina and 50,000 pairs to victims of the wildfires in California.


Ryan donated his own shows to the organization then realized that collecting shoes would make a good service project. He then asked Allison, who attends the same church as him, to get involved.



The students approached Ravenscroft's Lower School director about sponsoring the project and then created and distributed fliers promoting the shoe drive throughout the Lower School.


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

etown Honors Founder of Soles4Souls with e-chievement award

etown, the popular national radio show that mixes live music and conversation (now in its 17th season), is proud to announce a recent winner of its coveted e-chievement award: Wayne Elsey, founder of Souls4Souls.

The e-chievement award is a listener-nominated honor given to individuals who are working hard to make a positive difference in their communities and beyond. Mr. Elsey was interviewed by phone at an evening taping of the etown radio show at The Boulder Theater. The taping also featured popular musical guests Matt Nathanson and Ian Ball.

“Wayne has been working tirelessly to improve the lives and safety of people impacted by hardship and disaster all around the world. He has used his expertise to selflessly aid those in need,” said Helen Forster, etown’s executive producer and co-host. “He’s a true hero--the kind that etown recognizes and rewards each week with the e-chievement award.”

The etown broadcast featuring the interview with Wayne Elsey will air from January 16-22, 2008 across North America and around the world via over 240 radio stations and satellite broadcast. In Nashville, Tennessee, the show will air Tuesday January 22, 2008, at 11pm on WRLT-FM 100.1 FM (For a complete list of all stations and show days and broadcast times, see www.etown.org.)

etown was founded in 1991 and is a nationally-syndicated radio show heard 52 weeks a year on over 240 public, community and commercial stations across North America, via satellite broadcast, and via podcast. etown is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 corporation whose mission is to educate, entertain and inspire a diverse audience, through music and conversation, to create a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable world. Every etown show is taped in front of a live audience, and features performances from many of today’s top musical artists as well as thought-provoking interviews and the presentation of the e-chievement award recognizing everyday people who have made a difference in their community or beyond. Founders Nick Forster, of the legendary bluegrass band Hot Rize fame, and his wife, singer/actress Helen Forster host the show.

Soles4Souls on Commercial Appeal

Soles4Souls has been featured on CommercialAppeal.com, the information source for residents in Memphis, TN.


Campbell Clinic Orthopaedics, Snells Orthotics and Prosthetics, Reebok and Red Wing Shoes partnered with two national organizations, "Soles4Souls" and "Our Hearts to Your Soles," to provide homeless Memphians with foot care and new, properly fitting shoes.


Dr. David Richardson, Dr. Greer Richardson and Dr. Cameron Knight spent a day at Memphis Union Mission providing foot exams, foot care and hygiene.

Most of the 140 homeless and uninsured people were able to be treated on site, but some were taken to an emergency room.


Sammie Wicks of Snells Orthotics and Prosthetics fit each person for the proper size and type of shoe.

Each was given a pair of either tennis shoes, donated by Reebok, or work boots, donated by Red Wing Shoes.

Clicking for Shoes

Helping people get the footwear they need can be as easy as a click of the mouse.

Dow Footwear Solutions announced Saturday that it would donate a pair of shoes to Soles4Souls every time 20 clicks were registered on an e-card distributed by the business.

"We chose to support Soles4Souls because we wanted to make a real contribution as a global corporate citizen that is in line with the close relationship and rapport that we have built up with the footwear industry," Dow Footwear Solutions General Manager Tony Frencham said. "I would encourage our customers, partners and internal colleagues to be part of this campaign, and make this season's holiday special."

Dow Footwear Solutions provides products and material science capabilities to the footwear industry, enabling its customers to offer footwear with improved comfort, durability and lasting value.

Chris Carmichael, Soles4Souls director of communications, said the business committed to $6,000 in donations, with each dollar representing about one shoe to be shipped to those in need.

"This is definitely making an impact," he said. "Ask any of those 6,000 people who are getting new shoes what it means to them."

For many receiving the footwear, it is their only pair of sandals or shoes, which can improve their health and sometimes allow them to gain employment, Carmichael said.

It erases the stigma of poverty," he said. "It eliminates burns, scrapes and puncture wounds ... It's just another way to help on a basic level."

Soles4Souls has seen great success in getting the footwear industry involved in donating new shoes, and has begun to collect used shoes as well.

"We just crossed the three million pair mark since our inception, which was right after the Asian tsunami," Carmichael said.

Click here for the Dow Christmas Card!