Have Questions? Maybe we can help - FAQs
How do I get started?
We appreciate you and all your efforts to help us provide shoes to those in need! You can kick-off your shoe drive in three easy steps:
1. Spread the word! Encourage your friends, family and community to help you collect shoes.
2. Collect shoes!
3. Complete the Blogger Donation Form and send your shoes to Soles4Souls!
I want to encourage others to help me collect shoes for the Soles4Souls flippin’ good deeds Challenge. How can I keep track of their donations?
Should you have friends and family who would like to help you in your shoe drive, please have them fill out this Blogger Donation Form and indicate your Blogger ID #. Your Blogger ID # will allow us to ensure that the donations are credited to your challenge total.
How do I send my shoes to Soles4Souls?
When you are ready to send out your shoes, we request that you please ensure that each pair of shoes is bound together either with a rubber band or by the shoelaces for ease of distribution.
There are two easy ways to send us your shoes: in person or by shipping.
- If you prefer to deliver the shoes in person to one of your drop off location (10 pair or less) you can find a drop off location near you by clicking here and enter your zip code. Or you can deliver them to one of our 12 warehouse locations near you.
If you are shipping your shoes, we recommend you contact Unishippers, our preferred shipping company who gives the best available rate to donors shipping to Soles4Souls. With friendly customer service, they will help facilitate shipping to the closest Soles4Souls location to you. Simply fill out their quote request form or contact them at 877-791-7447 <tel:877-791-7447> .
What is the difference between a drop-off site, a warehouse site, and the distribution site?
Drop-off sites, also called participation locations, only accept small donations of no more than 5 pairs per person.
- Warehouses are locations where participants will ship or drop off shoes. If donors are dropping the shoes off, they must call ahead to schedule a drop-off time.
- Alabama is Soles4Souls' World Distribution Center. All shoes, whether they are sent to other warehouses, will ultimately go to Alabama before being sent to their final destination point.
Can donors get a tax receipt for donations?
Of course! Donors can fill out the Tax Receipt Form on our website and will receive a receipt within 10-12 business days.
How will the blogger get credit and who’s keeping the tally?
Each blogger will keep track of the number of shoes they collect using the blogger donation form.
How should I submit my blogger donation forms?
Complete two (2) copies of the Blogger Donation Form. Send the first copy to LaCita Mason at lacitam@giveshoes.org or fax to 651-391-5730. Send the second copy along with the shoes you send to the warehouse.”
Can I FAX the donation form to you?
Yes. Please fax to LaCita Mason’s attention at 615-391-5730.
When I send the shoes, you will you know what pairs go together?
We appreciate if you can pair the shoes with their shoelaces or with a rubber band.
Will you take soles with holes?
Yes! Shoes that cannot be worn any longer will be sent for recycling.
Should I try to clean them?
No. Please send the shoes as they are. We will accept any and all shoes, with the exception of muddy and moldy ones. When shoes are cleaned improperly, mold can grow and spread to other shoes, and ultimately prevent us from distributing them.
Why are shoes important?
Shoes help prevent the spread of parasitic diseases that plague over 1.4 billion people worldwide, and they are a basic human necessity. Shoes are very often considered a required part of the school uniform in developing countries, and without shoes, many children are unable to attend school. Over 300 million children worldwide are without shoes.
Many serious health conditions can be absorbed through the feet, even through the toughest soles. As the skin on the bottom of the feet toughens and thickens, large cracks can form, which allows parasitic infections such as hookworm and threadworm to penetrate the skin. In addition, constant cuts and scrapes to the feet and ankles frequently become infected and many of these infections can lead to ulcers and worse.
Some of the most dangerous conditions of going barefoot is the risk of puncture wounds, cuts, scrapes and burns to the feet. These injuries are almost never treated and can lead to serious infections, amputations and even death. With the number of children living in abject poverty and therefore surviving at a scavenger's existence, the feet are at tremendous risk as the child hunts for food or household items in garbage dumps, abandoned housing/construction areas, or while crossing through open sewer trenches and contaminated areas.
In addition to infections brought on by external injuries, a child's bare foot is particularly at risk of infection by hookworm. Especially at risk are children living in African and Southeast Asian countries, where hookworm infections are about 60 times more common. Learn more about why shoes are important.
Things to remember:
- Challenge ends November 15, 2011. All shoes must be in the Alabama warehouse by this date.
- Results announced on November, 30 2011
If you have additional questions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at lacitam@giveshoes.org or 615-391-5723 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CST). Every contribution is very important, whether it is 5 or 50,000 pairs of shoes! Thank you for helping us change the world, one pair at a time®.
For more information, please contact LaCita Mason at lacitam@giveshoes.org.
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