Soles4Souls Inc., the international charity dedicated to providing free footwear to those in need, has sent 85,000 pairs of shoes to victims of Hurricane Ike in the past two days, and is actively seeking assistance from donors and manufacturers to help fulfill the requests.
“We have been inundated with calls for help,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls Inc. “This hurricane season has already been terrible and the number of people that need our assistance is very high. We have already sent 85,000 pairs of shoes to victims in the U.S. and neighboring countries in the Caribbean, and our inventory is running dangerously low,” he said.
Elsey said that Soles4Souls has partnered with several relief agencies, such as Feed the Children, to distribute the shoes through hundreds of shelters, as well as going into the disaster areas to distribute footwear directly to victims stuck in their homes.
“We are only halfway through this year’s hurricane season, and we hope that we have already seen the worst of it,” Elsey said. “Now is the time for Americans to reach into their closets and find those shoes that they can part with so that we can meet the needs of every victim. We urge those who can to visit www.giveshoes.org and make a simple contribution that will make a huge difference in someone’s life. We need all our partners and donors to join us and help those devastated by this storm,” he said.
According to Soles4Souls, there are several ways people can donate to the charity. New and gently worn shoes will be immediately sent to affected communities, and a small cash donation can ensure delivery to even the poorest villages and towns decimated by the recent storms. Donors can also apply for a free Soles4Souls credit card, which will give the charity a $50 donation.
People interested in helping the cause can join Soles4Souls by visiting www.giveshoes.org or calling 615-391-5723. All donations have tax advantages
