Once a year, we clear through seasonal inventory in an annual sample sale but inevitably we end up with leftovers. These are top quality shoes—as good as our original production runs—and include everything from lace-ups and slip on sneakers to sandals and boots.  Our goal is to get them on the feet of people in need. In the past, we have donated shoes to at-risk homeless youth here in California and to Soles4Souls, a global grassroots organization dedicated to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of shoes. This past year, we partnered with another 1% for the Planet member, Bicycles for Humanity, and donated more than 600 pairs of men’s and women’s shoes to people in rural Africa in need of reliable footwear.

In many developing nations, walking is the primary mode of transportation. With a bike and a pair of shoes, one can travel three times as far, carry three times as much and be three times as fast. A means of transportation opens the door to essentials like healthcare and economic opportunities and education. Bicycles for Humanity is a global grassroots movement that provides the gift of mobility delivered by a bicycle to many in developing countries. We’re proud to be helping Bicycles for Humanity both knock down one of the fundamental barriers to economic development and create a better standard of living for people in rural Africa. We look forward to continuing our partnership with this great grassroots organization for years to come.