Donate Your Gently Used Athletic Shoes and Help Lift a Family Out of Poverty

Did you know that your old athletic shoes can be repurposed into agricultural training, tree nurseries and can help benefit some of the poorest farmers and villages in Ghana West Africa.

Allegra and Company continues to support MORE Foundation Group, a 501c3 non-profit, in their efforts to provide technology and training to farmers and villages in West Africa.  As a drop off location, Allegra and Company collects athletic shoes (new or gently used) for the foundation’s ”Athletic Shoe Repurpose Program.”  For every 600 pairs of shoes, a single family is ”adopted.”  The family receives:

• 12 months training in regenerative agricultural practices
• a drip irrigation system and an irrigation pump
• 1 colonized bee hive and training
• assorted trees and seeds
• a 1/4 acre vegetable farm
• 50 mushroom starter bags
• and more

With year round sustained harvests, families experience improved nutrition while seeing a marked increase in income.  Training in the sale of goods along with courses in micro finance support the permanence of these improvements.  Additionally, MORE continues to assist these families by helping them organize by groups of ten into village farming co-ops and furnishing these co-ops with a MORE modular chicken coop.

Healthcare is also enhanced with access to dental and eye screenings, HIV education and Malaria medication.

The same 600 pairs of shoes also provides environmental benefits.  Not only are they not taking up landfill space, but they help offset 600  tons of carbon dioxide as well.  The farming systems created reduce slash and burn clearing for crops and also create jobs that help restore the environment. 

Please help support this worthy cause by donating new or gently used athletic shoes (sizes 6-12). Soccer cleats in any sizes are also welcomed.  Shoes can be dropped in the donation box in the lobby of Allegra and Company located at 309 South Street, New Providence.

For additional information about MORE Foundation Group and the Adopt-a-Family Program please visit their website at www.morefoundationgroup.org