NAPO Professional Organizers Change Lives

Over the past several months, I’ve shared information about the partnership forged between NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) and Soles4Souls. The NAPO Challenge urged NAPO professional organizers like me to encourage clients to clean out their closets and donate brand new and gently worn footwear as well as single shoes to Soles4Souls. NAPO professional organizers and NAPO chapters across the country collected the footwear throughout the second half of 2011 and at last month’s annual NAPO Conference, the organization’s leadership shared some incredible stats:

• Nationally, NAPO members collected over 170,000 pairs of shoes!
• The local New York chapter collected 14,257 pairs, ranking it third place nationally in collections.

My clients, friends and family cleaned out their closets and donated more than 200 pairs of shoes between July and December 2011 and I am so proud to have been part of this effort. Soles4Souls provides shoes to men, women and children around the globe who desperately need them. Footwear is a critical first step in helping people in impoverished areas live healthy, productive lives. Footwear can help eliminate the spread of disease through the foot, as well as help children obtain an education as many schools have footwear requirements to attend.

Though The NAPO Challenge campaign has come to an end, you can still donate to Soles4Souls at several locations in the New York area – find a list of donation sites here.  As you clean out your closet this spring, consider donating shoes that no longer fit or that you no longer wear. Soles4Souls accepts all types of shoes: athletic, running, dress, sandals, pumps, heels, work boots, cleats, dance, flip flops, just as long as they are new or gently worn. Pairs should be tied together by laces or with rubber bands. They even accept individual shoes and will work to match them up to make a pair! Donations are tax deductible, with receipts available at drop-off locations.

For more information about Soles4Souls, visit their website.