Press Release 6/12/17

PERTH AMBOY – Your gently used shoes you no longer want, can help create meaningful opportunities many in developing nations need!

That’s the message being delivered by Sneaker Ferry, which has launched a drive to collect to help those less fortunate around the globe. New and used and new shoes can be dropped off between June 15th and August 31st at 154 Smith St, Perth Amboy, NJ 08863.

The shoes that Sneaker Ferry collects will be delivered to Soles4Souls–a non-profit social enterprise that creates sustainable jobs and provides relief through the dis-tribution of shoes and clothing around the world. Founded in 2006, the organization has distributed more than 30 million pairs of new and used shoes in 127 countries.

“Sneaker Ferry is a strong supporter of Soles4Souls’ mission, and we hope to take a big step in providing the organization with the new and gently used shoes they require to disrupt the cycle of poverty around the globe,” said Melvin Smith of Sneaker Ferry.

Soles4Souls will convert every used pair of shoes collected from the community into a value-added social currency to achieve positive change, both humanitarian and economic. Gently used shoes will be distributed to micro-enterprise programs that create jobs in Haiti, Honduras and other developing nations. The resulting revenue will help fund the free distribution of new shoes in the U.S., Canada and developing nations around the world.

The World Bank estimates that approximately 900 million people live on less than $1.90 per day. 400 million are children. Millions of these children don’t have access to adequate foot-wear resulting in significant ramifications for their health and well-being. Tens of millions are at risk of infection from soil-transmitted parasitic diseases like hookworm that can cause lasting suffering and lifelong debilitation. Meanwhile many adults don’t have access to sus-tainable employment. In Haiti for example, more than two-thirds of the labor force don’t have jobs.

“The simple truth is that almost anyone with a closet has shoes they don’t wear, or an old pair that will just end up in a landfill,” said Smith. “Give those to us, and know that you are taking a step to making the world a better place for all of us.”

Sneaker Ferry used shoe drive for Soles4Souls information:

• Between June 15th and August 31st, bring your used shoes of any kind to:

• Sneaker Ferry-154 Smith St, Perth Amboy, NJ 08863.

• For more information, please contact Melvin Smith at Sneaker Ferry: Phone 732-423-7916Email: sneakerferry@gmail.com