home | the shoe project

get informed

300 million people can’t afford shoes. learn how footwear can improve safety and health, create economic opportunity, empower women and children, and give kids more time in school.

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join us

the shoe project is always looking for creative volunteers around the world to help bring us closer to our mission. whether you’re an individual who wants to help or an organization interested in a partnership, there’s a place for you.

work with us

share our mission

the shoe project started as one 12 year-old's vision. in 3 years, it's grown to become a community-backed initiative inspiring other service projects around the world. help share our story to keep the momentum going.

spread the word

but we're not done yet.

we still need your help. here's how you can get involved.

the craziest thing we can do is nothing

donate your shoes

new or old, we want your shoes. drop off your sneakers at the mojo running store in west chester, ohio regardless of type, size, or condition and we’ll take care of the rest.

get directions

give

for $20 you can give a brand new pair of shoes to someone who really needs them. 100% of your donation goes directly toward putting more shoes on more people.

donate now

run your own shoe drive

take the lead and organize your own shoe drive in your community, school, or church. make sure to take lots of pictures!

get started

we've done some pretty incredible things...

and none of it would be possible without your help

15,000 pairs of shoes donated

500+ total volunteers

active in 50+ countries

united nations

in may of 2016, the shoe project joined the united nation's civil society by committing to work toward the united nation's 17 sustainable development goals, specifically goal 1: no poverty.

microenterprise

we're trying something new. using an innovative economic model of charity, we're actively working with selected pilot micro-entrepreneurs in cambodia to receive footwear regularly from the shoe project. microenterprise works by creating and maintaining sustainable jobs. we're sorting through logistics and still structuring the most economically sensible program

youth nonprofit summits

in march of 2017, the shoe project partnered with other youth philanthropists to put on a cincinnati youth nonprofit conference, inspiring young people to start their own nonprofits. we hope to organize more.

youth social entrepreneurship

our mission is to inspire, mentor, and collaborate with other young social entrepreneurs around the world to create widespread impact in their respective communities with innovation at the core of what we do

humble beginnings

the shoe project started as a failed business idea. buying and reselling shoes from salvation army, john ferguson, 12, ended up with too many shoes and not enough customers. without any profit, the shoe project then became a nonprofit, donating shoes to people in need in cincinnati and around the world with the first international donation to a deaf school in banjul, gambia

we are driven to do our part in making the world a better place for all

the shoe project was founded on the simple idea that youth are the principle change makers in the world

for three years, we've put shoes on more than 15,000 people and counting

after becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2016, we're now actively looking for new creative and sustainable ways to give back to our local and global community.

the shoe project

footwear for all