Shoe Charity Encourages Donors and Supporters to Act Fast for Gulf Coast
Residents
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Soles4Souls(TM)
Inc., the international charity dedicated to providing free footwear to
those in desperate need, announced today it has sent 30,000 pairs of shoes
to a staging area in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and will distribute them to
victims of Hurricane Ike early next week.
Ike is expected to make landfall in the Galveston, Texas area by late
Friday evening or early Saturday and continue on toward Houston. Weather
forecasters have issued strong warnings to residents along the Texas Gulf
Coast, while federal officials have been far more blunt. "Persons not
heeding evacuation orders in single-family, one- or two-story homes will
face certain death," said officials with the National Weather Service.
Soles4Souls is partnering with Feed the Children to send the footwear
and other supplies to residents affected by the storm. "With natural
disasters like this, a person's home and all their possessions can be
completely wiped away," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls.
"It's critical to have all necessary supplies available to people so they
can begin the rebuilding process as soon as possible," he said.
Soles4Souls donates new and gently worn shoes to victims of natural
disasters and people living in extreme poverty. Elsey said that they have
already shipped the 30,000 pairs of shoes and are seeking footwear
companies and retailers that can donate excess inventory or returns so that
they will have enough for the demand.
"This has already been a terribly busy hurricane season," Elsey said.
"Along with other emergency supplies, a pair of new shoes or boots goes a
long way to helping people get back on their feet and piece their lives
back together. We need all our partners and donors to join us in our
mission to help those affected by this storm," he said.
Those interested in giving shoes or donating cash to benefit victims of
the hurricane can join Soles4Souls by visiting http://www.giveshoes.org or
calling 615-391-5723. Donors can also apply for a free Soles4Souls credit
card, which will give the charity a $50 donation.
About Soles4Souls
Nashville-based Soles4Souls(TM) facilitates the donations of both new
and used shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Since its
inception, Soles4Souls has distributed more than 3.4 million pairs (or one
pair every 23 seconds) to people in more than 60 countries, including
Honduras, Romania, Thailand, and the Sudan. The charity has been featured
on CNN Headline News, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, ABC News, FOX,
CBS, and hundreds of regional outlets around North America. Soles4Souls is
a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS; donating parties are eligible for tax
advantages. Visit http://www.giveshoes.org for more information.
SOURCE Soles4Souls
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Related links:
http://www.giveshoes.org
CONTACT:
Chris Carmichael, +1-615-391-5723, Ext 143,
chrisc@soles4souls.org, or Kim Dettwiller, +1-615-321-4073,
kimd@giveshoes.org, or Alexis Laken, +1-646-964-5566,
alexisl@soles4souls.org, all for Soles4Souls
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