Giving Those in Need a Foot Up - Our Hearts to Your Soles, Soles4Souls and Red Wing Shoes Renew Charitable Partnership
St. Paul, MN (PRWEB) October 28, 2014 -- On Tuesday, November 25 2014, between 5:30pm and 7:45pm, “Our Hearts to Your Soles”, a local non-profit working in conjunction with “Soles4Souls”, a national non-profit, will be distributing thousands of Red Wing shoes and boots to homeless shelters in approximately 40 U.S. Cities, including St. Paul. This is the ninth time in eight years the Twin Cities have been involved in the program. The event will be held at the Catholic Charities Dorothy Day Center located at 183 Old 6th Street, St. Paul, MN 55102.
Since 2007, Our Hearts to Your Soles has been organizing volunteers across the United States in order to assist the less fortunate by giving them footwear, food and free foot examinations. To-date, Our Hearts to Your Soles has helped over 24,000 people in the low-income and homeless communities.
“We’re thrilled to once again be partnering with Red Wing Shoes and Our Hearts to Your Soles,” said Buddy Teaster, CEO of Soles4Souls which has partnered with the Our Hearts to Your Soles organization for the past seven years. “By combining medical expertise and high quality footwear, this project makes a real difference to thousands of people at dozens of homeless shelters across the country. After seven years, this partnership is still going strong and, as we head into winter, the timing couldn’t be better.”
In the weeks leading up to and after Thanksgiving, Our Hearts to Your Soles will be working with local homeless shelters as well as orthopedic surgeons and their medical teams in over 40 cities across the US to distribute footwear and carry out examinations. Some of the cities included in this year’s program are New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Paul, Memphis, Boston and many more.
"Our Hearts to Your Soles continues to expand its national outreach to the most-needy Americans through our annual Thanksgiving event,” said Dr. Stephen F. Conti, MD and President of Our Hearts to Your Soles. “This would not be possible without the generosity and compassion of our friends at Red Wing Shoes and Soles4Souls. This year our relationship has strengthened with each of us making a commitment to continue and expand our charitable cause to protect the health and dignity of those in need."
The key to the Our Hearts to Your Soles program is the extra step taken at every distribution center where experienced doctors provide care at no cost to the visitors.
“Healthy feet are a foundation for a healthy body,” said Mark Urdahl, Executive Vice President of the Red Wing Shoe Company. “Our Hearts to Your Soles doesn’t just provide footwear to those in need. They staff experienced doctors at their sites to make sure foot issues are tended to and to ensure the footwear fits properly. For the people we’re helping, that attention is crucial. This may be the first time many of these people have experienced that level of care.”
Dr. Lance Silverman, a local foot and ankle surgeon, will be teaming up with Our Hearts to Your Soles to provide the financial support for the event, and he'll also be on hand to conduct free foot examinations. Dr. Silverman saw a need in the community and recognized the value of partnering with “Our Hearts to Your Soles” to fill that need. “I’ve noticed that some people in the area cannot get the proper footwear because of economic and societal challenges,” said Silverman. “The homeless and financially-burdened in the Twin Cities often face difficult winters due to the extremely cold temperatures. Without proper footwear, they are susceptible to frostbite and other injuries during the cold winter months. As an ankle & foot specialist, I wanted to help.”
About Our Hearts to Your Soles
The mission of Our Hearts to Your Soles is to provide the less fortunate people across the United States with shoes and free foot examinations. We believe that proper foot health is an essential part of everyday life and important to an overall health maintenance program.To learn more about Our Hearts to Your Soles or to make a donation, please visit: http://www.heartstosoles.com
About Soles4Souls
Soles4Souls is a global not-for-profit institution dedicated to fighting the devastating impact and perpetuation of poverty. The organization advances its anti-poverty mission by collecting new and used shoes and clothes from individuals, schools, faith- based institutions, civic organizations and corporate partners, then distributing those shoes and clothes both via direct donations to people in need and by provisioning qualified micro-enterprise programs designed to create jobs in poor and disadvantaged communities. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Soles4Souls is committed to the highest standards of operating and governance, and holds a four-star rating with Charity Navigator. Visit http://www.soles4souls.org for more information.
About Red Wing Shoe Company
Red Wing Shoe Company is a world leader in the design, production and marketing of work safety footwear and flame resistant apparel. Established in 1905 in Red Wing, Minnesota, Red Wing Shoe Company, is a privately held corporation with distribution in more than 110 countries and employs over 2000 worldwide. Red Wing Shoe Company’s family of brands include Red Wing Shoes, the premium choice for purpose built work footwear including a collection of Heritage styles built for any occasion; Irish Setter, the footwear brand of choice for hunters and laborers who want uncompromising quality and innovation; Vasque, a pioneer of performance hiking footwear; WORX, a trusted brand for the industrial safety footwear market; and S.B. Foot Tanning Company, one of the largest USA producers of fine tanned leather for footwear and leather goods. Red Wing Shoe Company operates two US manufacturing facilities in Red Wing, MN; and Potosi, MO. For more information on the Red Wing Shoe Company please visit: http://www.redwingshoes.com
About Dignity U Wear
Dignity U Wear distributes dignity in the form of brand new clothing. Their goal is to distribute clothing in a way that maximizes the impact that clothing has on lives. With that in mind, they collaborate with other great social service agencies on projects and programs where the clothing is given to people at the right time. Dignity was founded in 2000 by an extraordinary person; philanthropist and Holocaust survivor, Henri Landwirth. “I know what it means to stripped of personal dignity,” he says, “to not have clothes of one’s own and to give up all hope. When I see people suffering indignities, I know we have to help: and through Dignity U Wear, we do.” Visit their website at: http://www.dignityuwear.org/.
About Silverman Ankle & Foot
Silverman Ankle & Foot is your choice for excellence in foot and ankle care in Minnesota. We are committed to providing each and every patient with the highest standard of care, and the personal attention they deserve. Working one-on-one with patients, Dr. Silverman provides a comfortable and understanding environment - with your health and personal well being his top priority. For more information call (952) 224.8500, or find us online at http://www.anklefootmd.com.
About Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis serves those most in need. We are a leader at solving poverty, creating opportunity and advocating for justice in the community. Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis helps 35,000 people annually, regardless of faith. Each year at our Dorothy Day Center—located in St. Paul—we serve more than 6,000 individuals experiencing homelessness. To learn more please visit http://www.cctwincities.org
Lance Silverman, Silverman Ankle & Foot, http://anklefootmd.com, +1 (952) 224-8500 Ext: 3, [email protected]
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