Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
I Stand in The Gap Launches Fundraising Shoe Drive to Raise Funds, Support Microenterprise in Developing Nations, and Help the Environment
The public is invited to participate in a shoe collection drive to benefit mission projects on April 2 – June 30, 2014
Dahlonega, GA, March 7, 2014: I Stand In the Gap is conducting a shoe collection drive on April 2-June 30, 2014 to raise funds for local and foreign mission projects while benefiting microenterprise ventures in developing nations and keeping old shoes out of local landfills. Individuals can help by donating pairs of gently worn, used shoes at United Community Bank (main branch), Community and Southern Bank or St. Paul United Methodist Church (Martin’s Ford Road).
In the US alone, approximately 630 million pairs of shoes are thrown away per year. The materials used to manufacture a pair of shoes are created from chemical compounds that will create health hazards if left to disintegrate openly or in landfills. By donating your pairs of gently worn, used shoes to I Stand In The Gap, your shoes are given a second chance to make a difference. All donated shoes will be redistributed to microenterprise partners through Funds2Orgs and used in developing nations such as Haiti, Nicaragua, Togo, and Ecuador, for impoverished people to start, maintain, and grow a unique business opportunity to feed, clothe, and house their families.
“We are very excited to be conducting this shoe drive in Dahlonega" notes Steve Pierce, Co-Director of I Stand In The Gap, along with his wife Kathy. "This campaign will raise funds that directly benefit our mission work and be used for local and foreign projects benefitting others, especially children, here and in El Salvador, Kenya, and India. The additional advantages of diverting shoes from the garbage dumps to create jobs and sustainability in peoples’ lives make this a win-win for everyone,” said Pierce. "Our goal is to collect 8000 pairs of shoes. The only way we can do that is if community members step up and help. I am calling on everyone to clean out their unwanted, gently worn, used shoes and donate them to us."
If you, or a local organization, are interested in learning more about this opportunity, you may contact Kathy and Steve Pierce by phone at 706-864-6668 or email info@istandinthegap.org.
About I Stand In The Gap: I Stand In The Gap is a 501(c)(3) Christian ministry based in Dahlonega, GA. Founded in 2013 by Kathy and Steve Pierce, I Stand In The Gap is focused on three facets of ministry: Prayer, Helps, and Hunger. Their slogan, “Standing in Prayer, Serving the World, Fighting Hunger” summarizes their mission. They can also be found on Facebook.