SHOE DRIVE WITH US!
Hosting a Shoe Drive is both fun and rewarding! You will be amazed at how excited your friends will become, as they roll up their sleeves and make a difference. This project is perfect for church groups, girl and boy-scout groups, schools, athletic/band/drama teams, Bible studies and small groups of any kind. Watch what serving together will do for your group-- you’ll never be the same, once you’ve taken part in changing lives across the globe.
The ABCs of a Successful Shoe Drive!
- Choose the dates of your SFJ Shoe Drive (a 3-4 week period works best) and Register your Event by contacting our Shoe Drive Director, Jen Miller. She will be available to assist you throughout your drive. You can request promo info, (including: poster for your collection bin, FAQ, SFJ logo to create your own personalized flyers, etc.)
- Get the word out! Create personalized fliers, emails, videos and announcements to help promote your event. Use local news media (TV, radio, newspaper), as well as your organization’s Facebook & website. There are many effective ways to spread the word about your SFJ Shoe Drive! Make sure that your message is clear and simple: New or gently used shoes needed for children & youth in Africa. Sizes: Toddler through Adult Size 12.
- Make drop-off bins visible and accessible. Encourage families to involve their children, by tucking personalized notes inside of their shoes for children in Africa (most of whom are orphans and/or street kids.) Assemble a small team of volunteers to empty bin(s) to temporary storage location, until you ship all of your collected shoes to our warehouse.
- Once your drive has ended, pack all of the collected shoes in boxes to ship to our WI warehouse. Include your completed Packing Slip (found in packet or on website) and make sure that each pair is bound together with a rubber band. SFJ volunteers will sort and send them to Africa! Make sure that you thank your team for making a life-changing difference in the lives of children across the globe and take time to celebrate a job well done! SFJ would love to see photos of your drive and volunteers, so remember to include us when you celebrate your efforts!
As part of your shoe drive, you can also plan a Barefoot Event with your church or group! Advertise in advance to have your group arrive with their shoe donations in their hands--and not on their feet. Roll out a red carpet and have a photographer capture your group arriving barefoot. Read more about how to "Host a Barefoot Event" in the Volunteer section.
