A local business has been gathering used shoes for a very worthy cause.
Bioped in North Bay has collected 4,000 pairs of shoes since December.
The shoes have been building up and this week, that large haul was sent to the @soles4souls Canadian distribution warehouse in Mississauga.
Crystal Kaufman is the owner/operator of the North Bay BioPed location. She says the local support has been overwhelming.
“We thank the people of North Bay for making this such a success,” said Kaufman.
“We have a lot of support from our patients, family, and friends. We have also been lucky to have so many local businesses in the community support our initiative. The response has been incredible and we owe it all to the community."
The Soles4Souls will take all the used North Bay shoes and distribute them to needed communities around the world.
Kaufman says these shoes will go on to help women in impoverished nations like Haiti.
"The women create a shoe business and sell them in the marketplace," she said.
"This enables the women to provide for their families (put food on the table, send their children to school, provide shelter etc). Above all, it empowers the women and creates a job for them. It is a microenterprise program."
