Students Discover A Way To Impact The Environment Helping Others.

They started by combining passions for the environment and a desire to make a difference with the homeless and people in need in their community. That's when 16 year old, Arnav Aggarwal convinced his friends to do a neighborhood shoe collection for Wayside Cross Ministries.
That was three years ago.

Today Arnav is the president of a local chapter of Shoecyclist, a National Club that is dedicated to collecting shoes for the homeless and sheltered populations. This annual collection now takes place, one month a year, where these young adults go house-to-house to collect unwanted shoes that have been taking up space in people’s homes.

In total, these teenagers collected about 400 pairs of adult shoes this year, and another 75 pairs of children’s shoes for Wayside Cross Ministries three shelters, and their Urban Youth ministries.
Whatever doesn't get utilized immediately will be placed in the ministry's two thrift stores to be sold where 100% of the proceeds support Wayside's homeless shelter and recovery programs in Elgin and Aurora.

The idea behind Shoecyclist.org came after learning 300 million pairs of shoes find their way to American landfills annually. These kids thought these shoes could be put to better use for people who that need them right here at home. Then they thought, what better place than Wayside Cross, a shelter and recovery ministry that provides help and hope for people in need throughout the Fox River Valley.

It's students like Arnav and his team that believe they can make a difference in the community while caring for others at the same time, that are set on changing the world. They are also inspiring others, regardless of age to do the same. You can learn more about their favorite charity and how it's six ministries are helping others rebuild their lives at www.WaysideCross.org