Chicago November 19, 2009 - Soles4Souls, the shoe charity that gives away free pairs shoes, has a simple mission: to find brand new and 'gently worn' shoes and give them new life on the feet of people in desperate need. The charity has donated over 5 million pairs of shoes to victims of natural disasters, people living in extreme poverty and even those laid off during the current recession. One of the core groups that help transform the Soles4Souls mission from an idea into a living example of God's love is the church.
This Fall, The Archdiocesan Gay & Lesbian Outreach and hundreds of other congregations across North America are participating in "Thanks4Giving," a Soles4Souls event where congregations will challenge themselves to harvest 250,000 pairs of shoes to be distributed to those in need worldwide. Thanks4Giving is a unique opportunity for people to be thankful for what they have by sharing with those less fortunate with the gift of shoes.
"Churches have always been incredibly responsive to our programs," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "This engaging event will not only leave a lasting impact on the hearts of your entire congregation, but it will also help Soles4Souls continue our mission to 'Change the World One Pair at a Time,'" Elsey said.
The efforts of AGLOChicago and participating congregations will go directly toward helping put shoes on the feet of barefoot children around the world. The U.S. government estimates that 300 million children around the world have never owned a pair of shoes. A sad irony is that Americans threw away the same number of shoes into landfills last year alone.
Anyone wishing to donate shoes can bring them to AGLO Chicago on Sunday, November 22 & 29 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Mass services are every Sunday at 7:00 pm at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 708 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL. Or you can also use our drop off shoes any day of the week at:
Ron's Grill Etc
Veterans Square
4859-A N. Milwaukee Ave.,
Chicago, IL 60630 ( Jefferson Park )
To learn more about Soles4Souls and its upcoming charitable events, visit www.giveshoes.org or call 866-521-7463. Churches can also email the Soles4Souls team at sunday@giveshoes.org to request more information on how to register for Thanks4Giving.
About AGLOChicago
The Archdiocesan Gay and Lesbian Outreach is a supra-parochial organization begun in June 1988 to extend the Church's pastoral outreach to LGBT Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago. AGLOChicago celebrates Mass every Sunday at 7:00 pm at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church at 708 W. Belmont Ave in Chicago. For more info, visit www.aglochicago.org
About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. The charity distributes these shoes free of charge to people in need, regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 5.5 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes ( currently donating one pair every 9 seconds. ) The shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls has been featured in Runner's World, Ladies' Home Journal, National Geographic's Green Guide and The New York Times. It has appeared on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, BBC, CNN and thousands of regional news outlets across North America. Soles4Souls is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Anyone can join our cause, and we need your help. Visit www.giveshoes.org for more information.
FROM A NEWS RELEASE