North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce is conducting a shoe collection beginning Monday.

Shoes Helping Our Economy Succeed or S.H.O.E.S. will raise funds for future chamber activities while benefiting micro enterprise ventures in developing nations around the world and keep old shoes out of local landfills. Both children and adult sizes are welcome. All varieties of shoes can be donated including gym shoes, dress shoes, boots, flip-flops and other casual shoes.

All donated shoes will be redistributed through micro-enterprise partners and used in developing nations for impoverished people to start, maintain and grow an enterprise to feed, clothe and house their families. They will be able to sustain their families while providing affordable shoes to their local residents. Hundreds of thousands of people in developing nations go without shoes leading to injuries and the spread of disease. SHOES will help decrease this problem by providing affordable shoes for these impoverished nations.

In the United States alone, approximately 630 million pairs of shoes are thrown away per year. The materials used to manufacture shoes are created from chemicals which can create health hazards if left to disintegrate in landfills. By donating gently worn shoes, they will be given a second chance to be of use and the landfill load will be decreased.

“We are excited to be conducting this shoe drive in the North Webster area,” noted Sue Ward, president of the North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce. “This campaign will fulfill the mission of our local chamber by promoting and developing business, not only locally, but in developing nations around the world which is a win-win for everyone,” She continued, “Our goal is to collect 7,500 pairs of shoes and the only way we can do this is if people step up and help. I am asking everyone in the area to gather up their gently worn, unwanted shoes and bring them in to one of our local collection boxes.”

Shoe donations can be made at the main collections boxes at North Webster Community Public Library, North Webster American Legion Post 253 and the Tippecanoe Township Community Building in North Webster. For more locations please go to the chamber website, www.northwebster.com or the chamber Facebook page.

Businesses and organizations that would like to participate in the shoe drive or host a collection box can contact Ben Ashpole or Don Roulo, chamber committee chairmen. Ashpole can be reached at [email protected] or 574-244-9090 while Roulo is available at [email protected] or 574-527-2490.