By Clare BruceFriday 14 Jul 2017Hope BreakfastSocial JusticeReading Time: 2 minutes
How many pairs of forgotten shoes are lurking in the bottom of your wardrobe, crying out to be worn?
If you’ve got shoes you no longer wear, consider giving them to the Smith Family this month. Giant shoeboxes have been installed at Mirvac Shopping Centres for its Share My Shoes campaign, to help support the Learning for Life program. Funds raised from the sale of all donated shoes, will help pay for the education expenses of disadvantaged children.
Studio 10 co-host Sarah Harris, who is a Smith Family ambassador, came from a background of disadvantage herself and knows how much children need the support.
Above: Sarah Harris is calling for donations of your unwanted shoes.
“Most disadvantaged families, if they have to choose between putting food on the table or buying new school uniforms, they’ll go to the greatest need first,” Sarah said. “But we know that education changes everything and is what is needed to break the cycle of poverty.
“I myself came from a pretty poor background and for me, doing well at school, getting good grades and creating a future for myself, I suppose that got me to where I am today. So I’m really passionate about helping other kids break that cycle, instilling in them great self esteem and a love of learning.”
The other way to support the initiative is to take a “Shoefie” – a selfie featuring your shoes – and upload it to Facebook or Instagram with #SharemyShoes as the hashtag. Mirvac will donate $1 for every Shoefie to the Smith Family.
Mirvac Shopping Centres around Sydney include Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre, Broadway Sydney, Cherrybrook Village, East Village, Greenwood Plaza, Rhodes Waterside, Stanhope Village and St Marys Village. The Smith Family hopes to raise $10,000 and collect 24,000 pairs of shoes in the appeal.
If you’re not near a Mirvac shopping centre, drop into your local Smith Family retail store – see the Smith Family website for a list of locations.