Soles4Souls, turning shoes and clothing donations into opportunity

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Nancy Youssef, Chief Business Development Officer and Executive Vice President, International with Soles4Souls, who discusses the history, operations, and impact of the nonprofit organization that supports relief efforts and turns shoes and clothing into educational and economic opportunities. During the interview, Nancy shares how their efforts were initially focused on helping the footwear industry in Southeast Asia and then the US after major disasters, but has since evolved to also focus on working with schools to help provide new athletic shoes to students in need and to create opportunities for entrepreneurs in remote areas through the reuse of donated shoes and clothing. She highlights the program's expansion to countries like Honduras, Haiti, Guatemala, and the Philippines, and its goal of extending the life of discarded products, which helps the environment and keeps the items out of landfills, while creating economic opportunities. Nancy talks about how the organization continues to support relief efforts in areas affected by recent disasters, including LA, North Carolina, and Florida. She wraps up talking about ways the community can support their efforts, including their upcoming "Race4EveryKid" virtual challenge fundraiser in May, and through product donations, such as shoes, clothes, and accessories. She highlights some of their many partnerships with organizations like Zappos and Plato's Closet and the availability of local drop-off locations. Visit https://soles4souls.org to learn more and to get involved with Soles4Souls. https://www.facebook.com/Soles4Souls/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/soles4souls-inc-/ https://www.instagram.com/soles4souls/?hl=en