Soles4Souls Expands International Collection Efforts
The shoe and clothing donations that Soles4Souls receives every day help create opportunities for what the World Bank estimates to currently be 767 million people living on less than $1.90 a day. The more product we receive, the more lives Soles4Souls is able to impact. Furthermore, our donation sites are more accessible than ever. Soles4Souls now has volunteer warehouses in Australia, Dubai, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and Singapore.
The ability to sort, process and store donations internationally has allowed Soles4Souls to more quickly distribute much-needed product to those living in poverty all over the world.
In addition to countless individuals who clean out their closets and donate to our organization, brands and retailers are quickly helping to fill our new warehouses as well. Here are just a few of our global corporate partners that have taken action to support our mission.
Aussie Soles Holdings Pty Ltd. In Australia recently donated an amazing 20,000 pairs to support Soles4Souls’ micro-enterprise programs. Their generous donation was a part of the brand’s current “Buy 1 Give 1” campaign. “The Aussie Soles Buy 1 Give 1 initiative will grow year on year,” said Craig Taplin, Founder of Aussie Soles. “When purchasing a pair of Aussie Soles know that you are taking a step to help disrupt the cycle of poverty around the globe.”
Other valued donations we have recently received include 3,200 pairs from children’s footwear brand Bobux International Ltd., and 1,000 pairs from Hotter Shoes in the UK. Hotter Shoes’ donation was supported by shipping partner Hermes, who delivered the 28 boxes to our organization free of charge. Footwear News even helped share the news about their generosity!
In addition to donating new product, companies all over the globe are engaging their customers in shoe drives. The shoes we receive support Soles4Souls’ micro-enterprise programs that help create jobs in developing countries. By selling gently-worn shoes in their local marketplaces, entrepreneurs living in poverty are able to earn an income. This allows them to purchase food, housing and education for their families.
For example, Million Lighting in Singapore is the first company in Asia to collaborate with Soles4Souls on a large-scale shoe drive. To date, they have collected over 200,000 pairs. For every pair of shoes sold in Haiti, an entrepreneur can provide five meals for their family. This means Million Lighting’s collection could help provide a million meals!
Homes Place Fitness also ran a campaign last year. The company collected 2,000 pairs of gently-worn shoes at their gyms in Austria, Greece and Switzerland. We are excited to share that they are gearing up to host another shoe drive next fall as well!
Whether it be used shoes or new, every pair we receive has the power to positively impact someone in need. Soles4Souls’ global corporate partners, donors and volunteers all play a vital role in our collection efforts and overall mission. Together we look forward to continue working to disrupt the cycle of global poverty.