Soles4Souls Month in Ottawa Ontario – April 1st 2012 through April 30th 2012

Dymon Self Storage and Local Heroes are proud to announce a partnership with Soles4Souls Canada, the Canadian shoe charity.

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From April 1st through April 30thDymon Self Storage, Local Heroesandparticipating sponsors across OTTAWA will be collecting gently worn shoes as part of our goal to collect 200,000 pairs of shoes in the month of April. This is in support of Sole4Souls Canada’s Million Shoe Mission.

With the help of Smith, Petrie, Carr & Scott Insurance Brokers Limited and the TELUS Community Ambassadors® Ottawa, shoes will be sorted April 21st and 28th for Distribution.

Local Ottawa social agencies will be supported: Somerset West Community Health Centre, Ottawa Carleton Immigration Services, Ottawa Mission, Harvest House Organization, Overbrook-Forbes Community Resource Centre, St. Mary’s Home, Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa, Family Services à la famille Ottawa, Jewish Family Services and others will all be offered footwear for their clients.

The remaining shoes will be shipped to the Soles4Souls distribution Centre in Nevada where they will be sorted and shipped to where needed around the world.

In the last 2 year Souls4Souls Canada, collecting shoes in the Interior BC has collected 115,000 pairs of shoes. This Year we will be collecting shoes in Ottawa, Montreal and Kelowna.

Since its inception in 2004 Soles4Souls has distributed over 17 million pairs of shoes, and has responded to more than 40 natural disasters worldwide with crisis relief aid, including Hurricane Katrina, the Haiti earthquake in 2010, the Japan earthquake, and the Alabama and Missouri tornadoes in 2011.

With 1 in 4 people around the world living in abject poverty, the shoe charity also assists individuals living in developing nations and in the U.S. and Canada who cannot afford shoes.

Mark Kosmos on Soles 4Souls Canada –“I was approached by Floodlight business man Donald Robichaud and when he pointed out the benefits of the Million Shoe Mission, I was blown away by how easy we can help not only local charities but people around the world. Soles4Souls makes such a difference in the lives of so many and has really helped us to ensure we stay true to our core values as a business. By helping to collect and distribute gently worn shoes we can continue to spread the message that healthy comfortable footwear leads to happiness and well being.” said Mark Kosmos.

Stephen Creighton on Soles4Souls Canada – “Soles4souls is a great cause and one that Dymon Self Storage is honoured to be associated with. Not only does Soles4souls help people in our own local community, but Soles4souls also helps people affected by crises all over the world. Our offer of free storage and truck deliveries means more time and energy can be focused on collected shoes by Soles4souls. Dymon Self Storage is proud to sponsor this charity and do what we can to contribute to a huge success.”

In the last few years the tragedy in Haiti and Japan reminds us of the 300 million children around the world who live a life of tragedy and disaster every day. By giving them the gift of shoes, you tell them that it’s possible to dream beyond their current situation and remind them that there are people who love and care about them.

If you’re interested in supporting Soles4Souls’ relief efforts, let me encourage you to visit www.soles4soulscanada.com to find the nearest shoe drop-off location.  Monetary donations can be made also be made.

Situations like Haiti and Japan remind us just how much we have. Consider sharing your extra shoes and a few extra dollars to help change the lives of people around the world with the gift of shoes.

3 ways to help

1)     Drop off shoe locations at anyone of the drop off locations see www.soles4soulscanada.com  for all locations In Ottawa  including all Local Heroes Locations and  Dymon Self Storage

2)     A $1.00 donation buys 1 pair of NEW SANDALS. Go to www.soles4soulscanada.com/donate

3)     Organize a shoe drive at school, church, and your place of business or your neighborhood!!!

WE NEED YOU TO CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSETS!!!

Estimates are that every person has 3 or 4 pairs at least in their closet that are not worn any more but still in good shape. We ask that you clean out your closets but convince your friends, neighbors and relatives to do the same. We ask that the shoes have no holes in the soles and are in decent shape. All footwear including sandals and boots are accepted and needed.

PLEASE TIE SHOES TOGETHER OR USE ELASTIC BANDS TO HOLD SHOES IN PAIRS

It is also the GREEN thing to do. There is tons of discarded footwear in the landfills that contain toxic glue that holds our shoes together, when these break-down it can leak into our water supply and atmosphere.

 

Ottawa citizens and companies interested in donating can visit the Soles4Souls atwww.soles4soulscanada.com or call Donald Robichaud @ 1- 613-466-0416

About Soles4Souls® – Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you.

We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world.

Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 17 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 7 seconds).

The shoes have been distributed in 127 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States.  Visit www.giveshoes.org for more information.