"Share-A-Pair” shoe drive: Recycle unwanted shoes; help Milwaukee's homeless population



GLENDALE (WITI) -- A local shoe store is collecting and donating shoes to people less fortunate.

Proper protective footwear is often a luxury Milwaukee’s homeless population or people struggling to make ends meet around the world cannot afford.

Now you can help these people by recycling the shoes you no longer want through Stan’s Fit For Your Feet’s ninth annual “Share-A-Pair” shoe drive from Sunday, February 1 through Saturday, February 28.

"The need is there and is in our backyard," said Megan Sajdak.

New or gently used shoes can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at any of the “Share-A-Pair” collection bins at Stan’s Brookfield store in The Plaza at 17155 W. Bluemound Road;  Stan’s Glendale store across from Bay Shore Town Center at 505 W. Silver Spring Drive;  Stan’s Greenfield store in the Layton Plaza at 7405 W. Layton Avenue; New Balance’s Brookfield store located at 17155 W. Bluemound Road, Suite A; or New Balance’s Greenfield location at 7411 W. Layton Ave.

Since its inception, the annual shoe drive hosted by Stan’s Fit For Your Feet has collected over 180,000 new or gently used pairs of shoes from Greater Milwaukee residents.

Some of the shoes collected are personally delivered and fit for homeless members of the community and people struggling to get by with help from Milwaukee’s Repairers of the Breach.

"To see their faces -- they can get a job or they can take their kids to school or walk their kids to school. A pair of shoes is really important," said Megan Sajdak.

Anyone donating shoes to the “Share-A-Pair” drive will also receive a $10 Stan’s Fit For Your Feet gift card to be used towards a footwear purchase throughout February at any Stan’s Fit For Your Feet or New Balance Milwaukee location.

Donated shoes will also be distributed to Repairers of the Breach, a homeless day shelter in Milwaukee and Father Gene’s HELP Center in West Allis. The remainder of the shoes will be given to Soles4Souls, a global not-for-profit organization that distributes shoes to people in need and works with qualified micro-enterprise programs designed to create jobs in poor and disadvantaged communities around the world.

To learn more about the “Share-A-Pair” shoe drive, visit stansfootwear.com or call 262-432-4030.