Soles4Souls is requesting funding for our community center in Haiti. We have a community center in Haiti that is in need of repairs and maintenance and we need funding to help with that. Along with the community center we can also use funding to help cover our expenses to ship shoes for distribution in the US and other countries.
Founded in 2004, Soles4Souls is a global not-for-profit institution dedicated to fighting the devastating impact and perpetuation of poverty through the distribution of shoes and clothing. Soles4Souls distributes shoes and clothing in two ways. Most new items collected primarily from corporations and retailers are given directly to people in need, both in the U.S. and overseas. The organization has relationships with several of the world’s leading apparel brands, which provides Soles4Souls with new but non-marketable overstocks, returns, discontinued models and other shoes or clothing items.
At the same time, Soles4Souls receives millions of articles of used shoes and clothing that have been collected by individuals, schools, faith-based institutions, civic organizations and corporate partners. After sorting items in its national warehouse system, Soles4Souls typically sells the used shoes and clothing, as well as some new items allocated by manufacturers, to carefully selected micro-enterprise organizations. These both private and non-profit companies are contracted to provide shipping, financing, inventory, training and other support to ultra-small businesses in countries like Haiti where there are virtually no jobs to generate personal income.
Through the collection and sale of used (and new) clothing and shoes, Soles4Souls helps create self-sustaining jobs that generate desperately needed revenues throughout those communities. The sale of footwear and apparel to support micro-jobs also provides the majority of funding to sustain Soles4Souls operations and further expand its donations of new shoes and clothing.
The mission of Soles4Souls is to help people have a more sustainable future, whether with a new pair of shoes, a new job or through the community center. The center was damaged during the earthquake in 2010 and is still in need of repair. Our first goal is to complete the roof so people using the community can play sports, learn and get job training. We have computers and work areas, but a roof is necessary to get everything set up. A roof will also allow classes and sports to start up as it is difficult to do those things when every area is exposed to the weather.
Name of Organization:Soles4Souls
Number of Paid Staff:23 Full-time, 3 Part-time
Number of Volunteers:
Total Organizational Expenses:$72,064,333
% of Organizational Overhead Expenses:1.50%
Once the community center is completed, it will be only the second enclosed basketball center in Haiti which will be a great resource for the community. Soles4Souls is unique in the fact that something as simple as a pair of shoes can make a huge difference in someone’s life. With a pair of shoes, we can help people go to school, play sports, dance, get a job and feel better about themselves. People of any age can get involved and help us make a difference.
Since 2004, Soles4Souls has distributed over 19 million pairs of shoes in 127 different countries. Through our microenterprise program, we have helped people provide new homes for their families. We currently have a woman in Haiti who is in the process of building a new home for her and her family with the money she makes through microenterprise.
Children
Clothing
Health
Poverty
There are a few ways to get involved with Soles4Souls. People can sign up to host a shoe drive to collect new and used shoes in the community. People can raise funds to help with our costs to ship shoes for our distributions. Another way is to go on a distribution trip. Soles4Souls travels to several countries and distributes shoes to kids in different schools and orphanages. It is definitely a life changing experience.
Name:Aubree Schroeder
Title:Director of Corporate Marketing
Address:319 Martingale Drive, Nashville, TN. 37138
Telephone:(615) 391-5723
Email:aubrees@giveshoes.org
Website:www.sole4souls.org