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Organize A Shoe Drive

NOTE: Please contact Share Your Soles prior to organizing a Shoe Drive.

Shoe Drive Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in holding a shoe drive to benefit the Share Your Soles Foundation. Here are some guidelines to help you not only get started, but assist you along the way. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 708-448-4469 or shareyoursoles@sbcglobal.net. ‘Shoe Drive’ posters are available for use as labels on your drop boxes – just email us your address.

·      Get approval. Be sure your school administration, troop leaders, or church leaders support your desire to hold the shoe drive. You may want to hold the drive in conjunction with another event, or entirely on its own.
·      Advertise. Make sure people know about your drive by advertising in your school newsletter, church bulletin, through email or by making flyers to post or send out. Include the dates and times you are accepting shoes, and the location of your drop boxes. Be sure to tell people the types of shoes you are looking for: new and gently-used, men’s, women’s, and children’s.
·      Ask for help. Ask for volunteers to help wash, sort, polish and deliver the shoes. Ask for donations to help finance the washing, or ask your local laundromat to donate washes. Ask for donations of laundry detergent, bleach, polish, insoles and shoe laces.
·      Sort. Don’t hesitate to throw out shoes in poor shape. We, first and foremost, want to respect the dignity of the people who are receiving these shoes, and we recognize for many of them, it may be the only pair of shoes they have for a long time. We want to be sure to provide them with quality shoes in very good to excellent condition.
·      Wash. All gym shoes, washable sandals and flip-flops are washed in hot water, bleach and detergent. We do not suggest washing in home machines (you may well burn out the motor); commercial machines are best. You are welcome to bring the washed shoes to the distribution center to lay out on the floor to dry, or you can air dry them at your location. For more info, see ‘Shoe Washing Guidelines’.
·      Polish. Leather shoes should be polished, insoles wiped clean and laces replaced, if necessary.
·      Sort again and box. Sort the shoes in boxes by type and gender. For example: ‘Women’s leathers’, ‘Men’s gym shoes’, ‘Girls’ sandals’, etc.
·      Deliver. Our processing center is open Mon/Wed/Thurs/Sat 10a-3p and Tue 10a-8p. We are located at 11701 S. Central, Alsip, Illinois 60803.

THANK YOU. Your efforts will help us provide shoes to the neediest of children and adults in the most impoverished areas of the world.

Shoe Drive Tips

Advertise in advance in your school newsletter, church bulletin, by email, or make flyers to post or send out. Make sure you state the dates and times you are accepting shoes, and where the drop boxes will be located.

- Be sure to empty the drop boxes as they become full.
- Ask for volunteers to help wash and sort the shoes.
- don't hesitate to throw out any shoes that are in poor shape. We, first and foremost, want to respect the dignity of the people who are receiving these shoes, and we recognize for many of them, it may be the only pair of shoes they have for a long time. We want to be sure to provide them with quality shoes in very good to excellent condition.
- we wash all gym shoes, washable sandals, and flip-flops in hot water with bleach and detergent. After you wash them, you may very well find that some become very discolored or simply do not wash well. Don't hesitate to purge again. You are welcome to bring the washed shoes to the warehouse to lay out on the floor to dry, or you can air dry them at your location.
- Leather shoes are polished if necessary. Laces are replaced in any shoes that need them.
- Sort the shoes in boxes by type and gender. For example: Women's leathers, men's gym shoes, girls' sandals, etc. Leathers are separated into 'dress', 'school or business' and 'casual'.
- A suggestion: often when schools or churches hold shoe drives, they offer the donors the opportunity to donate money to help defray washing expenses, and they may ask people to donate detergent or bleach or laces or shoe polish. This will help you keep your expenses down and we here are forever looking for laces and polish. We do have a plentiful supply of bleach and detergent right now at the warehouse, so if you need to, you're welcome to pick up what you need.