Steps to a Successful Shoe Drive

1. Ask permission and choose your dates. If you are planning a collection at your church, business or school, be sure to get permission from a pastor, company official or school principal. You also need to confirm the dates on your organization’s calendar.

2. Publicize early. Start letting people know two to four months before your drive that your collection is coming up. Put up the posters and pass out the brochures. Display the brochures in a prominent place. Run an article in your newsletter and local newspaper. Decorate a bulletin board and a barrel or box for the shoe donations. Don’t forget to contact your local media (newspaper, radio and TV).

3. Show the video. The images in the video are a powerful way to get people to understand the need. Consider showing it to Sunday school classes, youth groups, vacation bible school programs, businesses and service groups.

4. Collect. Pick a highly visible site and make sure the deadline is displayed prominently. Build excitement by letting people know on a regular basis how many shoes you have collected. Share the type and size of shoes needed. We urgently need black school shoes, leather athletic shoes and warm winter boots in sizes for children ages 7-18.

5. Schedule a packing day or prayer day. Schedule a day to get a team together to pray over, prepare and pack the shoes. This is a great fellowship time for your group and truly helps everyone realize that each pair of shoes represents a child. Have your Church, Sunday School class or youth group pray for that child that will receive the pair of shoes!

6. Mail your shipping contribution checks. Please have shoe donors use the envelope provided on the brochures to have shoe donors to mail in a $5 check for shipping and distributing the shoes to the children. Checks should be made out to Shoes for Orphan Souls. Donors may also give online.

7. Ship. Each group is responsible for shipping costs to get the shoes to our warehouse in Mesquite, TX. Please complete the packing form as this will help us in tracking your shoe shipment.