Donate gently-worn shoes at CherryVale through April 16

From press release

This Earth Day, shoppers can drop off old stilettos and loafers before purchasing new ones. CherryVale Mall has announced a partnership with Soles4Souls, a national shoe charity. Now through Friday, April 16, shoppers will have the opportunity to celebrate Earth Day by recycling their gently-worn shoes.

With an estimated 300 million pairs of shoes ending up in U.S. landfills each year, and more than 300 million children in the world who don’t own a single pair, the idea of recycling shoes for a cause motivated the partnership. Soles4Souls, an international shoe charity dedicated to giving shoes to people in need, has given away more than 7 million pairs of shoes.

At CherryVale Mall, donation bins will be placed at the Customer Service Center and at the Easter Bunny set in Center Court. Shoppers will be able to drop off their gently-worn shoes in the bins during the month-long campaign, which concludes just prior to Earth Day. In return, shoppers who donate will be rewarded with discount coupons from participating stores.

CBL’s goal is to collect 150,000 pairs of shoes, nationwide. The shoes will be shipped and tallied by Soles4Souls. Soles4Souls will hold an event on Earth Day at CoolSprings Galleria in Nashville, Tenn., to celebrate the total number of shoes collected.

“We are proud to partner with CBL Properties in this call to action to celebrate Earth Day,” said Wayne Elsey, founder and CEO of Soles4Souls, Inc. “This initiative will not only help put shoes on the feet of the millions worldwide who need them, but it also furthers the global effort to reuse.”

Carl Landis, regional marketing director—Madison Region, said: “This partnership will provide many families with gently-worn shoes, which otherwise may not be available to them. Soles4Souls’ charitable initiative and CBL Mall’s Celebrating the Earth campaign is a perfect opportunity to work together to support many families in our communities. This campaign is an extension of CBL’s sustainability efforts across our portfolio.”

The graphics company FASTSIGNS has united with CherryVale Mall and Soles4Souls to produce the printed material for the shoe drive. Supporters can also sponsor shoes for children by visiting ShopCherryValeMall.com and clicking on the Soles4Souls logo.

In addition to these partnerships, CherryVale Mall will offer a special Celebrating the Earth Web page that can be found at ShopCherryValeMall.com. Shoppers can find helpful tips on recycling, local community initiatives and retailer recycling efforts. For example, shoppers can recycle old eyeglasses at LensCrafters, recycle rechargeable batteries at RadioShack and trade in old appliances and electronics at Sears.

Soles4Souls

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear retailers and shopper closets. Collected shoes are distributed, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away more than 7 million pairs of new and gently-worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) organization, recognized by the IRS, and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. For more information about Soles4Souls and the nationwide shoe recycling initiative, visit giveshoes.org.