Spring cleaning is taking place in all Mast Store communities. Windows are being scrubbed; the carpet is getting cleaned; and the closets, well, if you haven’t worn it in a while, it’s probably time to say goodbye to it. Take a good look at your shoes. If they have some miles left in them, we can make it easy for you to put some smiles on some local faces.

Answer the S-O-S call! Mast General Store is sending out this message urging you to give your gently-worn shoes new life! During the month of May, all Mast Store locations are collecting footwear for our annual Sharing Our Shoes drive.

Each store has chosen a local charity to receive these life-changing gifts. When you think about it, everyone needs shoes, but what if you are facing an extraordinary happening in your life and just don’t have the funds available for a pair of shoes? Perhaps you’ve left your home to escape domestic violence or you’re homeless, but have a job interview and need to make a good impression. Something as simple as a pair of shoes can make all the difference, and it’s so easy to help.

Just bring your shoes that are still in good, wearable condition to any Mast Store location – tie the shoe strings together or put a rubber band around them to keep mates with each other – and put them in the Sharing Our Shoes bins. We’ll take care of the rest. Here are the organizations we are working with in each community:

Asheville – Hillcrest Family Resource Center – the Center promotes healthy living, community wellness, and self-sufficiency by assessing the goals and needs of public housing residents and aiding them in building connections with appropriate community services and resources. 

Columbia – Transitions Homeless Center – Transitions partners with 52 community organizations to help those who find themselves homeless to stabilize their lives, increase their incomes, and to move into permanent housing. 

Greenville – Salvation Army of Greenville – This faith-based service group brings comfort and aid to the needy without discrimination. 

Hendersonville – Interfaith Assistance Ministry – IAM offers emergency relief to Henderson County residents who are in financial crisis by offering food, clothing, funds, guidance, and referrals in an atmosphere of compassion and respect. 

Knoxville – Ladies of Charity – The Ladies of Charity address the emergency/immediate needs of the underserved, unemployed, and underemployed people in the Knoxville area and have been providing this service since 1942. 

Waynesville - Clothes to Kids of Haywood County – This organization works closely with social workers and Haywood Public Schools to make sure that school-aged children feel good about themselves and can succeed academically – part of that is ensuring shoes and clothing. 

Winston-Salem – Winston-Salem Rescue Mission – Committed to meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of anyone who calls on them for help. 

Valle Crucis and Boone – Hunger and Health Coalition – The Hunger and Health Coalition serves as a resource for individuals and families that are struggling to provide themselves with basic needs such as food, prescribed medications, and heat during the winter.

All types of footwear are welcome - kids’, men’s and women’s, casual, dressy, sandals, tennis shoes, hiking boots - you name it – they just need to have some miles left in them. You’ll feel great knowing that you’ve not only contributed to making some happy feet, but you’ve also done your environmentally-conscious part by recycling your sneakers, saddle oxfords, slingbacks, and the like. Of course, new shoes are always appreciated, too!

Thank you for your interest and participation. It is much appreciated by Mast Store and our valued community partners. You can change someone’s world, one sole at a time!

The Sharing Our Shoes footwear drive officially runs May 1 through May 30, 2018 at all Mast Store locations; however, many locations collect footwear to share with our partners year ‘round. Please share the information in this blog with your friends, family, and co-workers to spread S-O-S and help as many as possible.