What is a shoe drive?
During our annual shoe drive fundraiser, we ask our community to collect gently worn, used and new shoes and sneakers of all styles and sizes and drop them off at the shelter to be sorted, counted and bagged. We have a goal to collect a minimum of 2500 pairs of shoes each year. Once we reach our goal, we contact our partner, Funds2Orgs and they send a truck to get all of the shoes. When Funds2Orgs receives and processes the shoes collected from our shoe drive fundraiser, we receive a check for the shelter! On average we receive in between $1200-$1800 each year, just by collecting used shoes.
We usually start actively collecting in the spring, aiming to reach our goal by early summer, but we accept shoes ALL YEAR LONG! So when you clean out your closet, please remember to drop your used shoes off at the shelter, located at 123 Middle Road in Skowhegan, ME. We take any size, any style shoes, kids, men’s and women’s. Our only requirement is that they are in wearable condition, no broken soles and no single shoes, they must be a pair.
If you are interested in volunteering to collect shoes for us and hold a mini shoe drive in your neighborhood, school or business, please contact us at 207-474-6493 or by email at somersethumanesociety@gmail.com for more information. We gladly welcome your help!
What happens to the shoes?
A shoe drive fundraiser goes beyond raising money for our cause and community. After the shoes are picked up, they’re sent to developing countries to create job opportunities.
It’s estimated 300 million people don’t own shoes. Shoe drive fundraisers help provide inventory to over 4,000 micro-entrepreneurs who sell the shoes to support their families. In turn, they help themselves out of poverty with a hand up, not a handout. Your shoes will get a second life and stay out of the landfills.
