Methodist church opening up shoe donation program

    Since starting in September, Holyoke First United Methodist Church’s shoe drive has collected hundreds of pairs of new and used footwear to benefit entrepreneurs in developing countries.
    Now, pastor Paul Brunner is promoting the program beyond his congregation, in hopes of gathering enough shoes to send a large shipment overseas by Easter.
    “We wanted to just start with the congregation and get our feet on the ground,” he said. “But our hope now is to get it out to the whole community.”
    The church’s corporate partner, Funds2Orgs, will process the shoes and sell them at substantial discounts to small entrepreneurs in countries like India, Colombia and Haiti. While not a nonprofit, the company describes itself as a “social enterprise,” whose business model aims to improve the quality of life for those living in economically depressed areas.
    Once the church collects enough pairs of shoes, which is measured in pounds, the company will arrange for shipping, and the church will receive a check in the mail.

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