Keep the Midlands Beautiful’s (KMB) annual shoe drive fundraiser began on March 1 and will continue through May 31. The shoe drive aims to raise funds to support KMB’s mission of educating, inspiring, and empowering citizens to improve their local environments through litter prevention, recycling, and beautification.
Anyone can contribute by dropping off gently worn, used, and new shoes at any time at KMB’s office located at 1305 Augusta Road, West Columbia. Donations can also be made at designated locations listed on their website.
KMB earns money based on the total weight of the shoes collected. The funds are used to purchase safety signs, vests, gloves, and litter grabbers for volunteers conducting litter pickups across Columbia, Richland, and Lexington counties. All donated shoes will be redistributed through the Funds2Orgs network of micro-enterprise partners in developing nations, helping to create and sustain small businesses that sell the shoes, thereby improving the livelihoods of families.
“We are excited about the shoe drive,” said Adriana Diotalevi, Program Manager. “We know that most people have extra shoes in their closets they would like to donate to us. By doing so, we keep shoes out of the landfill, raise money to support our organization, and we have the chance to help families in developing nations gain economic opportunities. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
By donating gently worn, used, and new shoes to Keep the Midlands Beautiful, you give the shoes a second life and make a global impact. For a list of public host sites in your community, visit https://kmbsc.org.
