06/08/2012

RunningShoes.com Partners with Soles4Souls

RunningShoes.com has teamed up with Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based shoe charity. The online superstore located in Chesterfield, Mo., joined forces with the shoe charity in order to spread awareness and raise donations for an organization that provides new and used running shoes to victims of disasters and poverty.

Beginning today, customers have the opportunity to donate to Soles4Souls during the checkout at RunningShoes.com. Customers can select from a variety of dollar amounts with all proceeds going to Soles4Souls. With every dollar donated, Soles4Souls will be able to provide a pair of shoes to someone in need.

“Most individuals in the U.S. don’t have to worry about looking down at their feet as they run because their feet are protected by running shoes,” said Kevin Goughary, CEO of Soles4Souls. “But for more than 1 billion people around the world, walking or running barefoot is a hazardous reality. We are grateful to our friends at RunningShoes.com for incorporating the option to sponsor a pair of shoes to someone in need.”

After discovering Soles4Souls, the leadership team at RunningShoes.com was certain it was a great charity with which to form an alliance.

“We really love the idea of seeing our customers fund the repurposing of footwear for a wonderful cause,” said Chad Weinman, CEO of RunningShoes.com. “The work Soles4Souls does for local and international communities is extraordinary. Donating just a dollar can give someone in need a pair of shoes, and that is truly remarkable.”

The idea for Soles4Souls began in the wake of the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia when founder Wayne Elsey called upon shoe executives to donate a quarter of a million shoes to devastated countries. Since that time, Soles4Souls has raised millions of dollars to aid victims of disaster and poverty. To date, Soles4Souls has distributed more than 18 million pairs of shoes in 130 countries.

SkillsUSA, formerly known as the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America Inc. (VICA), was founded in 1965 as a way to teach students leadership skills to complement their chosen vocations. Today, the organization provides programs that develop students' employability skills, citizenship and character, competitive events involving thousands of corporations, trade associations, businesses and unions and college and training scholarships.

About RunningShoes.com
Founded in 1996, RunningShoes.com is an online specialty running store based in Chesterfield, Mo. The superstore provides a wide selection of specialty footwear for athletes from top brands like Asics, Brooks and New Balance. From barefoot running to trail running, RunningShoes.com tracks the latest trends in footwear and delivers them right to your doorstep.

About Soles4Souls
Soles4Souls collects new shoes to give relief to the victims of abject suffering and collects used shoes to support micro-enterprise efforts to eradicate poverty. Soles4Souls’ other two divisions, Clothes4Souls and Hope4Souls, provide the same relief and support through clothing and other necessities.