BELLEFONTE — From Saturday, March 1, through Wednesday, April 30, the Bellefonte Area High School Parent Group will be holding a Spring Cleaning Shoe Drive Fundraiser to help fund the BAHS Class of 2028’s senior activities. All types of shoes, whether new, used or gently worn, will be accepted.
The fundraiser will be held in collaboration with Funds2Orgs, an organization that holds different fundraisers. BAHS Parent Group will collect the shoes once they are picked up by Funds2Orgs and weighed. The weight of all the shoes will determine the amount of money going to the BAHS Class of 2028. The shoes are then provided for people who need them, particularly in developing nations.
“Funds2Orgs works with microentrepreneurs in helping them create, maintain and grow small businesses in developing countries where economic opportunity and jobs are limited,” a press release from the BAHS Class of 2028 Parent Group shared.
“Proceeds from the sales of those shoes collected in show drive fundraisers are used to feed, clothe and house their families. One budding entrepreneur in Haiti even earned enough to send her son to law school.”
According to the press release, over 300 million pairs of shoes are thrown away each year in the United States alone. That number is supported by a 2021 study from Wichita State University, which also noted that discarded shoes take 30 to 40 years on average to decompose.
“By donating gently worn, used and new shoes to the Spring Cleaning Shoe Drive Fundraiser held by the BAHS Class of 202 Parent Group, the shoes will be given a second chance and make a difference in people’s lives around the world.”
Residents of Centre County wanting to support can donate their shoes to:
- Centre County Library, 200 N. Allegheny St., Bellefonte
- Centre Hall Library, 109 W. Beryl St., Centre Hall
- Mane-Ly Hair, 252 Nittany Valley Drive, Bellefonte
- Meyer Dairy Store, 2390 S. Atherton St., State College
- The Pet Pub, 507 Benner Pike, State College
- PSU Life Sciences Building, 432 Science Drive, University Park
- Titan Market, 2042 Axemann Road, Bellefonte
“We are excited about our shoe drive,” Jennifer Malik-Williams, president of the BAHS Parent Group, said.
“We know that most people have extra shoes in their closets they would like to donate to us. By doing so, we raise money to support the Bellefonte Class of 2028 senior year activities, and we have the chance to help families in developing nations who need economic opportunities. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
