A Conversation with Share Your Soles Founder Mona Purdy, the Nonprofit that Has Repurposed 3 Million Pairs of Shoes

Editor's note: When we interviewed Share Your Soles founder Mona Purdy on September 10th, 2019, the organization was currently looking for help. We urge you to please consider helping in the way of monetary donations, shoe donations, and volunteers to help their Hurricane Dorian disaster relief efforts.

It’s no secret that the fashion industry is a large contributor to textile waste and ill-practiced recycling programs. Nearly 20% of global waste water is produced by the fashion industry according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

While subindustries within retail such as fast-fashion have recently come under fire for their practices, at Fleet Feet we are fortunate to work with brands who are instating sustainability programs such as Adidas' repurposed ocean plasic collection with Parley, Nike's Nike Grind initiative, Brooks' Running Responsibly efforts, and more.

As a retailer, we have no problem admitting that we aren’t perfect in our ways either but we are taking conscious action to help our brands get their products repurposed and recycled to reduce our overall carbon footprint.

From the small things such as recycling cardboard and paper products we receive during shipments in our stores, to replacing our kitchen plasticware and paper products in our kitchen, to switching from paper to compostable cups at our Fleet Feet Hydration Stations, we do our best to lead by example.

One of our largest efforts started in 2000 and it continues today. That is our partnership with Share Your Soles.

Share Your Soles is a global nonprofit that benefits those in need in the way of new and gently used footwear and literacy programs. Since its inception, the organization has repurposed over 3 million shoes.

In 1999, Mona Purdy was not looking to change her life or start a nonprofit when she traveled to Guatemala. A friend of hers from the village of Patín was hosting a half marathon so she decided to sign herself up. As she ran the 13.1 mile race in the sweltering heat she noticed children along the road had put hot tar on the soles of their feet in lieu of shoes because they couldn’t afford shoes. 

Coincidentally, on her way home she sat next to an orthopedic surgeon and explained that despite the tar, children often suffered from foot problems such as abscesses, infections, and parasites. 

When Purdy returned home she started collecting shoes in the name of Share Your Soles.

I recently visited the Share Your Soles warehouse and distribution center in the Pullman neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. The building itself is known as “the stables” and is apart of the Historic Pullman District. The building is unmistakable. Carved, wooden horse heads sit atop the facade and the symmetrical stable doors are front and center.

Inside, rows of tables have been constructed, each with a sign descriptor and full of shoes. A woman was working an electric sawmill. Her name was Deanna. Deanna volunteers several times a week in her free time. She is cutting thin wood blocks into shingles. In order to keep the historic building up to its code, the building owners must cut and paint new shingles to replace the old damaged shingles.

I asked Deanna why she chooses to spend her free time volunteering. “Why not help people? Especially underprivileged people. People need to know that nonprofit work helps.” says Deanna.

Mona showed up a few minutes later. One thing to know about Mona is that she likes to talk. Mona is a people person. She excels at forming meaningful relationships. She does not take no for an answer. This is why she is successful.

I asked her how she developed relationships with the countries she works with which includes, Ecuador, Haiti, Uganda, Sudan, and Kenya, just to name a few. Her answer is simple. “By going there. The poor cannot help the poor, so there are people that have higher levels of education that I work with in each country.” says Purdy.

This directness is what landed Purdy her first sponsor in American Airlines in 1999. This type of personality is what allows Purdy to help with Hurricane Dorian disaster relief in The Bahamas.

“Right now we’re doing disaster relief. I called people I know. I used to live in The Bahamas in my 20s. On a boat. The guy I used to sail with, he’s the head of the Grand Bahama Port Authority so he gave us access from Fort Lauderdale to both Freeport and Abaco Island. For free. Done.” explained Purdy.

Purdy relies on these relationships she’s formed in order to stretch dollars and reduce overall expense and have a bigger impact on communities. She doesn’t own semi trucks, so she uses her connections to help with the Hurricane Dorian disaster relief.

“I called my friends in the trucking business. They have two semis that will come out here. My neighbor is lending me a forklift. We’re going to load the donations onto the truck, my truckers will bring it to Fort Lauderdale. For free. It will be put on a ship and when it arrives safely, American Airlines will fly me out so I can oversee distribution.” says Purdy of the process.

Purdy’s passion is piercing. It’s difficult to not want to get involved yourself. You almost feel guilty. This feeling of guilt is what inspired Purdy to start Share Your Soles in the first place and it awakens the volunteers she inherits along the way. 

“If you see something wrong and feel something, instead of letting that feeling or moment pass, embrace it and figure out what the message is. Reacting to something that upset me changed my life, but also over 3 million people that got shoes from me.” said Purdy.

As of late, Purdy can recruit up to 200 volunteers a week. They come from all over the world. They come from busses, trains, and planes to act on something that stirs them inside.

Share Your Soles makes putting your feelings into actions easy. Fleet Feet Chicago became one of the nonprofit’s first drop zones in 2000. All seven of our locations accept donations but there’s a caveat. Share Your Soles only repurposes new or gently worn shoes. The shoes that don't make the cut, they pay to recycle them properly. “People don’t understand. They think if someone lives in an underdeveloped area, that they should be grateful that they get anything at all. But they don’t understand that we don’t refurbish or repair. When we repurpose shoes, we want people to feel the respect that we would show people here. Respect the dignity of the people that receive the shoes. What type of shoes would you want to receive if you were in their position?” explained Purdy.

The organization is currently focusing their efforts on Hurricane Dorian disaster relief efforts. They need your shoes. They need volunteers. They need money.

Volunteer: You can sign up to volunteer with a $5 donation here.

Donate: You can donate here.