Shoestrings: How Your Donated Shoes and Clothes Help People Pull Themselves Out Of Poverty

Soles4Souls creates sustainable jobs and provides relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world. The organization’s mission is to Wear Out Poverty by focusing on both short-term relief and longterm solutions. Soles4Souls’ microenterprise model is designed to create real economic change in developing nations by utilizing new and gently-worn shoes as a resource to provide people with an opportunity to start and sustain a small business of their own. This is a powerful and sustainable way for people to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.
In shoestrings, author Buddy Teaster shares the stories of the people directly impacted, Soles4Souls’ partners on the ground, and the brands and volunteers working diligently to disrupt the cycle of poverty. With more than thirty million pairs of shoes distributed since 2006, Soles4Souls’ own evolution reflects the power of commitment, focus, and partnership in creating real economic impact in some of the world’s most challenging places.