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 Heart
and Sole is a charitable project of the Michigan State University College
of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM). It provides new and gently used shoes
to the poorest of the world’s people. Since the project began in
1999 through 2006, more than 6,000 pairs of shoes have been shipped around
the world.
In many poor nations – where people often live surrounded by environmental
hazards – decent footwear is a luxury. Much of the population,
especially the children, simply do not have shoes. This lack hinders
them from finding work or even going to school. That’s why this
program is exceedingly important.
Families receive donated shoes
in Malawi, Central Africa. |
Staff in the college have received donations of footwear
from individuals, researchers in the college and other organizations.
The shoes are boxed and sent out as funds allow.
In addition, other faculty, staff and students have taken boxes of shoes for distribution when they
traveled to Third World countries or impoverished areas of the United
States.
MSUCOM
professors Roger Haut, Ph.D., and Ray Frederickson, M.S., donated
nearly 100 pairs of shoes provided by the manufacturer after they
were used in biomechanical research projects.
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Donate shoes.
Heart and Sole is always looking for new or gently used shoes that can
be shared with needy families.
Donate money.
Heart and Sole organizers have found that gathering
shoes is quite easy, but obtaining the funds required to ship them abroad
is difficult.
One box of 10-15 pairs of shoes can cost as much as $40.00 to ship
overseas and Heart and Sole currently has a supply of shoes waiting
to be sent out for lack of funds. Please make checks payable to “MSUCOM” and
mail to the address below. All donations to Heart and Sole are administered
by the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Identify shipping alternatives.
If you, or someone you know, live or works overseas, are planning an
international mission trip, or can provide other low-cost methods of
delivery, Heart and Sole can provide you with shoes that can be distributed
to a region in need.
Residents receiving shoes at the Casa
Materna, a pre-natal and post-natal care facility in Matagalpa,
Nicaragua for mothers from rural areas who have high-risk
pregnancies.
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Ordinary people can make a difference. That’s the lesson of the
MSUCOM Shoe Project, Heart and Sole, a charity drive that has given new
and used shoes and boots to needy children and adults on three different
continents. The project has collected shoes and boots from college faculty,
students, and staff as well as from area high school students; shipped
shoes to Malawi, Nicaragua, Haiti and Honduras; and donated boots to
the Greater Lansing area.
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Among the sites worldwide
receiving shoes from MSUCOM's Heart and Sole project is a refugee
camp near Cotonou, Benin, supported
by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Pat Grauer,
director of public relations, visited the camp May 11 to meet
its leadership and to present boxes of shoes for the children.
Pictured is a refugee child, Hermann,
aged four, receiving a pair of shoes and sharing his joy
with
a friend. |
Read more about the Heart and Sole project in these featured
articles:
Thank you from Soles for Souls
Thank you from Coalition on Temporary Shelter
Thank you from Jim Arden Foundation
PeaceJam Returns with more Help
Heart
and Sole featured in MSU Today
Swan Valley
Highschool Helps Heart & Sole
Thank You from Soaring Unlimited
Girl Scout Troop #2294 Gets Involved
PeaceJam Jumps into
Shoe Campaign
Thank You from a Missionary in Haiti
DeWitt Students Turn Cookies Into Shoes
The
MSUCOM Shoe Project
Chris
Lander: Sole Survivor
Heart and
Sole delivers to Haiti
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