Malvern's Sneakers For Soldiers Wins Grant To Continue Mission

MALVERN, PA — A Malvern based group that provides sneakers to men and women in the armed services recently was given an award and grant for their efforts to support our deployed members of the military.

Sneakers for Soldiers, founded by Deborah and John Hausladen in Malvern, was presented the Purple Paladin award, a program Grant Thornton launched in October to provide up-and-coming nonprofits with funding, business advice, and volunteer support.

The program helps promising nonprofits move from start-up to sustainable, while also helping them share their stories more widely

Through the Purple Paladin award, Grant Thornton will support the nonprofit with skills-based services, as well as financial support, enabling Sneakers for Soldiers to continue carrying out its mission of providing properly fitted athletic shoes, customized to each soldier.

Sneakers for Soldiers have distributed 1,500 pairs of high-quality sneakers distributed to date with the help of the Bryn Mawr Running Company.

"It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that something as simple as a pair of sneakers is putting a smile on the faces of our service members," Deborah Hausladen said. "And we’re just getting started."

The Hausladen family founded Sneakers for Soldiers in 2018, when they received a call from their son, who was serving in Afghanistan and looking for a pair of sneakers.

After realizing that the Military did not provide sneakers to deployed soldiers, the Hausladens were determined to find a way to help their soon, and others like him.

While the U.S. Military has recognized that sneakers are an essential item and is in the early stages of providing athletic shoes to new service members, deployed soldiers are not currently included in the military’s efforts. Sneakers for Soldiers helps fill this gap: Individuals and organizations can support deployed troops in a practical way that complements the military’s efforts.

You can support Sneakers For Soldiers online here.