During the month of May, Mast asks that you join us as we reach out into our communities and fill a need: shoes.

 

A pair of shoes may mean little to those who have so many, but to others, even one single pair can mean everything. And donating to those in need can mean the same to you. So, if you’ve “Kondo’d” your closets, or simply spring cleaned them, and you have some shoes that didn’t quite spark your joy but are still in good condition, bring them to any Mast Store location. We are accepting gently worn shoes that still have some miles left on them, and we need all styles and varieties. From gym shoes to dress casual to business appropriate, shoes can span all types for all genders, ages, and uses.

Simply connect the shoes into pairs via a rubber band or by tying the laces together and drop them off at your local Mast Store. We’ll take it from there and see that they wind up sparking joy in someone else’s life by helping them put their best foot forward.

Mast will have a little help distributing all these shoes. Each store has partnered with a local community-centered non-profit organization to reach as many folks as possible.

Knoxville’s store is partnering with Ladies of Charity whose mission is providing emergency assistance to those in need.

Our Winston-Salem partner is the Winston-Salem Rescue Mission. They strive to meet the physical, spiritual, and other complete-person needs of any individual who asks for their assistance.

In Asheville, Hillcrest Family Resource Center will distribute the collected shoes. They assist public housing residents with healthy living and self-sufficiency by supplying resources to address all needs, specifically empowering women and girls.

The Hendersonville store will work with the Interfaith Assistance Ministry, a non-profit that meets the basic needs of families who are in financial crisis in Henderson County.

In Waynesville, Mast is partnered with Clothes to Kids at Lake Junaluska where they help families with school-aged children have a wardrobe of school-appropriate clothing.

Greenville’s Mast Store will share shoes to the community through the Salvation Army whose mission is to meet human needs without discrimination.

Our store in Columbia will distribute shoes via the Transitions Homeless Center where folks can go from the streets to self-reliance with a hand up.

The two stores in Valle Crucis and Boone’s location will work with Goodwill. Goodwill provides a multitude of services from job training and placement to other vital assistance programs.

Wherever you give, know that the gift is as much a kindness to a fellow community member as it is a great way to be more aware of everything we affect, from environmental impact (reduce, reuse, recycle) to your personal lifestyle—are you holding on to items that give you no joy, as Marie Kondo would ask? And wouldn’t you, your home, and a person in need all benefit and be happier for the decluttering and subsequent donation? Yes, I believe we all would. So, go ahead, give joy away to others and spark it in yourself when you join us and share your shoes this May.

The Sharing Our Shoes campaign runs from May 1^st through May 31^st at all Mast Store locations.