SOLES4SOULS® JOINS KEEP GEORGIA BEAUTIFUL, THE GEORGIA RECYCLING COALITION AND OTHERS FOR STATEWIDE RECYCLING CAMPAIGN
The organizations launch ‘Turn Up The Sole’ Campaign to recycle 100,000 pairs of shoes in celebration of Earth Day
Nashville, TN—March 6, 2012—Georgia residents can add a shoebox to their recycling collection bins for a limited time. Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity, announced their Turn Up The Sole campaign in Georgia today in partnership with Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, The Georgia Recycling Coalition, 1-800-Got-Junk?, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and Whole Foods. The charity’s Earth Day initiative is connecting thousands of individuals around Georgia to recycle their new or gently worn shoes.
“Spring is a busy time for environmental efforts in communities across our State with the Great American Cleanup campaign and Earth Day celebrations,” said Sarah Visser, Executive Director of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, “and this is a great way to connect those efforts to social issues of poverty and need. This is true sustainability.”
From March 15 to May 15, individuals, organizations and businesses across Georgia can sign up to participate in the recycling campaign. The shoes collected will be donated to Soles4Souls and used to help individuals in need. With 1 in 4 people living in adverse poverty around the world, many do not have access to footwear. Americans discard an estimated 300 million pairs of shoes each year, and those shoes could help someone break the cycle of poverty.
“Georgia Recycling Coalition is proud to be involved in this waste reduction effort that includes a philanthropic component; donating is surely the highest form of reuse. Georgians have embraced this effort for a number of years—now we have the opportunity to take it to a higher level,” said Gloria Hardegree, Executive Director of GRC.
How to sign up?
Any Georgia resident interested in being a collection point or dropping off shoes for recycle can visit www.giveshoes.org/georgiarecycles.
Why are shoes important?
Footwear is the first step to helping people in impoverished areas live healthy, productive lives. Footwear can help eliminate the spreading of diseases through the foot, as well as help children get an education—since many schools have footwear requirements to attend.
About Soles4Souls®, Clothes4Souls®, and Hope4Souls®
Soles4Souls collects new shoes to give relief to the victims of abject suffering and collects used shoes to support micro-enterprise efforts to eradicate poverty. Soles4Souls’ other two divisions, Clothes4Souls and Hope4Souls, provide the same relief and support through clothing and other necessities. Donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Visit www.giveshoes.org, www.clothes4souls.org, or www.hope4souls.org for more information.
About 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is pioneering an industry that is helping residents and businesses remove junk and regain space. Whether it’s a pile of household junk in the garage or a warehouse full of office furnishings, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? removes it for you, making the ordinary business of junk removal exceptional. We are passionate about recycling and donating to charity. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? was founded in 1989 and now operates throughout North America and Australia. Please visit us at 1800gotjunk.com.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Soles4Souls, Elizabeth Kirk, 615-391-5723, elizabethk@giveshoes.org
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