Staff at Sneakers Plus are thrilled with how a call for collections of donated shoes turned out during the month of April.
Owner Cindy Campbell had put out the call to the community to donate unused pairs of shoes for donation to those in need or for recycle.
And the community responded in a big way.
“We collected 1,205 pairs of shoes,” said Campbell. “I thought we might get 1,000, so it went really well.”
As mentioned, the shoes will go to several great organizations.
“Superfluity already came and took about seven garbage bags full, so I would think that’s about 300 pairs,” she said. “And then, I have packed up about 300 to 350 pairs for the Mustard Seed in Red Deer.
“The rest all go to Soles4Souls which is an international group,” she added.
Since Soles4Souls began in 2006, they’ve distributed more than 35 million pairs of shoes in 127 countries.
Soles4Souls’s mission is also to create sustainable jobs and provide relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world.
Campbell also wanted to thank Environmental 360 Solutions which loaned the bins used in the collection through the month, the Stettler Recreation Centre which also was a collection spot and the Stettler Mall for providing storage for the donations.
She also wanted to thank students at Christ-King Catholic School and Stettler Elementary for helping out with collecting.
Clearly, a decent and comfortable pair of shoes, often taken very much for granted, can make a world of difference in a person’s life.
As the Souls4Souls web site points out, “Your new and gently-worn shoes help individuals start and sustain small businesses to lift themselves out of poverty. Donated shoes are a viable resource to help entrepreneurs provide crucial necessities for their families.”
Campbell also noted that some 300 million pairs of shoes end up in landfills each year. She now plans to see the shoe drive become an annual event.