Stride Rite’s ‘Big Hearts, Little Shoes’ Campaign Puts Shoes on Kids’ Feet

As the new fall season rolls in, many of us are cleaning out the summer clothes and shoes that the kids have outgrown. Before you toss the old shoes in the giveaway bin, consider donating them to Stride Rite to support Soles4Souls, the international charity that collects shoes and distributes them to people in need around the globe.

Through Sept. 30, donate outgrown or unwanted shoes in a designated Soles4Souls drop box at Stride Rite locations. For every pair donated, you get 20 percent off towards a same-day purchase of new shoes, as well as a certificate for a free class at The Little Gym with every purchase of new Stride Rite shoes at participating stores situated near one of The Little Gym locations.

The Little Gym created the “Big Hearts, Little Shoes” initiative to provide an interactive way for children to learn the value of charity and for parents and children to participate in a cause together. It is the first campaign for Soles4Souls focused on collecting children’s shoes, a major need for children living in poverty around the globe. It is estimated that 400 million children globally live in extreme poverty (defined, as living on less than $1.25 per day). These children may not have access to adequate footwear and without shoes, many won’t be able to avoid disease or go to school. Since 2006, Soles4Souls has distributed 22 million pairs of shoes to those in need in 127 countries. More than half of our distributions occur in the United States.

Find the nearest Stride Rite “Big Hearts, Little Shoes” donation location. Stride Rite’s website also features an animated video narrated by child actor Jonathan Morgan Heit (“Jake and the Never Land Pirates,” “Bedtime Stories”) that explains the campaign to children.