Soles4Souls Inc. Donates 130,000 Shoes in Atlanta and New Orleans
by Staff
June 12, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn., ATLANTA and NEW ORLEANS, (christiansunite.com) -- Soles4Souls Inc., the international charity dedicated to providing free footwear to those in desperate need, continued to donate large amounts of free shoes and sandals to people in the United States this week. On Wednesday, Soles4Souls gave away 65,000 pairs of shoes to residents in Atlanta; and on Thursday the charity donated another 65,000 to people in New Orleans.Eslene Richmond-Shockley, President of Caring For Others, a non-profit organization based in Atlanta, said the shoe giveaway was a marvelous event. "The needs are so great in Atlanta, and we wish we could do [this giveaway] over and over again," she said. "Thousands of families in our city were helped by Soles4Souls and K.I.D.S. (Kids In Distressed Situations), and we are very grateful for their help in reaching out to our community."
Wayne Elsey, the Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls, said that the goal of the charity's donations this week was to inspire companies and organizations to follow suit with their own strategic giving plans. "It's not about the numbers of shoes we are giving away, it's about issuing a call to action to people that can make a difference right here, right now, in our own country," Elsey said. "Barefoot Week is designed to catch the attention of shoe retailers, footwear brands, churches and individuals and inspire them to join our simple yet important cause," he said.
Corinne Knight, Associate Director of Communications for the Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, was on hand to witness the donations to residents of New Orleans, and said the excitement from thousands of children was contagious. "The faces of the little kids were absolutely lit up with happiness...something that you and I may take for granted was the most exciting thing to them," she said. "We were so happy to receive word that K.I.D.S. and Soles4Souls wanted to make this donation in our community, and we are thrilled that they aren't forgetting the continued struggle of New Orleans residents," she said.
Elsey said that Thursday's donation in New Orleans crossed another milestone for the charity. "We have donated more than one million pairs of shoes to residents in and around New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina," he said. "But the city remains in great need of renewed assistance from all types of charities. We want to remind Americans that the work is not done, the mission is not accomplished. We invite them to invest in charities that work in New Orleans to help finish the job we all committed to immediately after the hurricane," he said.
Barefoot Week ends on Saturday, and Soles4Souls will make one more donation of 65,000 pairs of shoes to residents on Indian reservations in Arizona on Friday.
About Soles4Souls
Nashville-based Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of footwear, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Soles4Souls has donated more than 3 million pairs of shoes since its inception (one pair of shoes every 28 seconds). Soles4Souls is a 501 (c)(3) recognized by the IRS; donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. For more information, please call (866) 521-SHOE, or visit www.giveshoes.org
