"Heart and Sole" Update

September 11, 2003

Earlier this month, 324 pairs of shoes were delivered to the island nation of Haiti, courtesy of MSUCOM's "Heart and Sole" project. The shoes - all of them collected through donations - will be distributed to families and children in need of basic footwear.

This charitable project began in response to the need in some of the world's poorest countries, where shoes are a necessity but unavailable due to the cost. "Heart and Sole" collects new and slightly used shoes from individuals and organizations and ships them overseas where they can be distributed. Since 1999, more than 2,500 pairs have been sent out, mostly to the African nation of Malawi.

Gathering the shoes has been quite easy, but the high cost of shipping makes getting them where they are needed difficult. "Heart and Sole" has dozens of boxes waiting to be shipped and is still taking donations to help cover the expense. If you would like to make a donation, contact Ann Cook, Graphic Service at 517-432-0493 or cooka@msu.edu.