Purpose

Purpose & Goal: The Nubian Direction II YouthBuild/AmeriCorps Partnership, LaGrange Sunrise Rotary, and the Freedom Plains Presbyterian Church of Lagrangeville plans to collect a minimum of 1,500 pairs of new, slightly worn, and old shoes and sneakers. The purpose of the sneaker/shoe drive is to collect a large assortment of footwear to send to less fortunate children, youth, and adults in developing countries and to recycle/reuse old sneakers for “green” community playgrounds.

We will organize and implement a large community service learning project beginning on Saturday, October 27th (National Make A Difference Day)* and end on Saturday, December 1, 2012. The “Changing the Step…Sole to Soul” Sneaker Drive will be a month long campaign where individuals can donate shoes/sneakers at various collection boxes throughout Dutchess County.

* Make A Difference Day, the largest national day of community service by helping others, is sponsored annually by USA

WEEKEND Magazine and its 800 carrier newspapers.

Important Dates
• Official Start Date – Saturday, October 27th (National Make A Difference Day)
• End Date Saturday, December 1st

Main Objectives

• Raise supplemental education funds for YouthBuild Mentoring Program via Modell’s Team Weeks program.
• Provide quality footwear to individuals in developing countries via Soles4Souls.
• Implement a local community service learning project that will have an international impact on a humanitarian level.
• Recycle old athletic shoes from local landfills to create “green” community playgrounds via Green Sneakers.
• Distribute slightly worn athletic shoes to others who cannot afford new products.