While most people would rather spend the summer outside, more than 100 students and staff at Ross IMDT, located at 11590 Century Boulevard, Suite 210, were more than happy to go inside and clean their closets for a good cause. In just 3 days, the school collected 173 pairs of gently used shoes to benefit the non-profit organization, Soles4Souls®, Inc. Souls4Soles, headquartered in Nashville, TN, takes donations of used shoes to help impoverished people in developing nations start a business to support their local economy. Donations of new shoes are used to help people living in abject
poverty.
“This was a great fundraiser in that it allowed everyone to contribute,” said Ben Gregory, Campus Director, Ross IMDT. “Not only are our closets cleaner, but our donation is helping to protect people by preventing the spread of life-threatening diseases often contracted through bare feet.”
According to Soles4Souls:
–Shoes help prevent the spread of parasitic diseases that plague over 1.4 billion people worldwide, and they are a basic human necessity.
–The reality of life for many individuals in developing nations is that having a pair of shoes is a rarity. It is not uncommon for children to grow up in these areas without ever having had a pair of shoes at all.
–The number of barefoot orphaned children, in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, is estimated to be above 20 million.
–Over 300 million children worldwide are without shoes.
–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.
Thanks to all students and staff who donated to this very important cause!