UPDATE - First Distribution Day Saturday, March 27th

 

The Mission: Recycle Your Shoes for the Homeless

 On March 19th, the Atlantic City Rescue Mission will be holding their first Recycle Your Shoes for the Homeless campaign. The shoe drive theme "Let a Homeless Person Walk a Mile in Your Shoes (and Socks)" is intended to raise awareness of a common need for the homeless and help people empty out their closets at the same time.

Those old shoes you have can actually help someone else.

The Mission is asking any individual, or retailers interested in participating to begin rounding up their unwanted sneakers or hiking shoes/boots for the March 19th collection. The drop-off point will be behind the Mission at the drop-off area from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm on Friday, March 19th. We will also be collecting packages of new socks.

The Mission is located at 2009 Bacharach Boulevard, Atlantic City, NJ 08401.

"We're really hoping to help a lot of people with the shoe drive," says Bill Southrey. "Some people have asked me, 'What about new shoes, will you take those as well?' and I say we'll be happy to take those too. It just seems like used shoes are something everyone has but may have forgotten about, much like the people we are helping every day. We thought it was a great metaphor to remind people that something we may consider discarding can still have a lot of value. So in the literal sense, it's kind of nice to think, needy people will actually be walking a mile in your shoes."

"The reason for the March 19th collection date is that we are hoping to start handing out these shoes beginning the following week. Shoes and socks are always a big need for the street homeless and the winter weather has been especially hard for people who are outside and on their feet all day," says Outreach Chaplain Mark Engler. "In most cases their feet are the only form of transportation they have, so a good pair of sneakers and dry socks are important, and can help them avoid medical problems in the future."

Four ways to participate:

• Donate your shoes or new socks (drop off March 19th)
• Organize a collection at your place of work, church or civic group
  
• Volunteer March 19th to help sort and organize
• Volunteer March 27th or later to help outreach workers distribute

Register online or contact Tom Davidson for more information.