Soles4Souls Announces Spring Cleaning/Earth Day Initiative to Keep Shoes Out of Landfills; Create Jobs

NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwired - March 07, 2017) - What if someone told you that by keeping new and gently used shoes out of landfills you were helping to create sustainable jobs in developing nations around the globe? This year, as the spring cleaning season and Earth Day approaches, Soles4Souls invites you to help them in their mission to do just that, through the "Give Shoes. Give Love. Go Green!" campaign.

The Council for Textile Recycling estimates that the average US citizen throws out 70 lbs of textiles every year which adds up to 21 billion pounds of post consumer textile waste, annually. Meanwhile, 900 million people around the world live on less than $2 a day. That's where Soles4Souls comes in. The nonprofit social enterprise provides entrepreneurs in places like Haiti and Honduras with repurposed shoes and clothing, otherwise destined for landfills, to help them start and sustain small businesses. Since 2013, in Haiti alone, Soles4Souls' micro-enterprise program has generated $3.75 million worth of economic impact.

"The saying 'one person's trash is another person's treasure' couldn't apply more when it comes to creating powerful sustainable economic opportunities through repurposing shoes and clothing," says Soles4Souls CEO Buddy Teaster.

Soles4Souls estimates that the sale of one pair of shoes can generate enough income to provide 5 meals for a family in Haiti. The sale of 20 pairs of shoes can help pay for a child's annual school tuition in Honduras.

"Just remember three things while cleaning out your closet this spring: "Give Shoes. Give Love. Go Green," says Teaster. "Whether you join us by hosting a local shoe drive or personally donate 5-10 pairs from your household, every pair matters. Not only is that one more pair out of our landfills but it's one more person on the path out of poverty."

Visit soles4souls.org/gogreen to "Give Shoes. Give Love Go Green!" and help keep shoes out of landfills and fight global poverty.

About Soles4Souls
Soles4Souls disrupts the cycle of poverty by creating jobs and providing relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, the organization repurposes product to supply its micro-enterprise, disaster relief and direct assistance programs. Since 2006, it has distributed more than 30 million pairs of shoes in 127 countries. A nonprofit social enterprise, Soles4Souls earns more than half of its income and commits 100% of donations to programs. Visit soles4souls.org for more information.

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