From October through December 2015, Hillside House collected boots, sneakers, high heels, sandals and more to raise funds for the 59 adults with disabilities whom it serves.
In conjunction with supporting Hillside House, the shoe collection aided microenterprises in developing countries abroad. Hillside House partnered with Funds2Orgs to collect and distribute used shoes to impoverished families beginning small businesses in countries such as Haiti, Guatemala, Ghana and Senegal.
On Jan. 22, 2016, a Funds2Orgs semi-truck picked up the large heap of shoes collected from the Santa Barbara community at Hillside House, located at 1235 Veronica Springs Road in Santa Barbara.
The Santa Barbara community revealed tremendous effort, collecting an amazing total of 1,700 pairs of shoes for Hillside House’s 2015 Shoe Drive.
Many community partners gathered shoes from within their organizations and/or the public in support, including Assistance League of Santa Barbara, Lazy Acres Market, Superior Fitness, Trader Joes, Reality of Santa Barbara, Deckers Brand, Santa Barbara High School and Montessori School.
Families, businesses and students alike helped redistribute what would have otherwise gone into our landfills to supply people with resources that merely clogged closets.
Local action has created global impact through sustainable endeavors and empowering those in need of support both here in Santa Barbara and in countries abroad.
The funds raised from distributing the used shoes will support the therapy and educational programs for residents of Hillside House to live fulfilling lives.
Hillside House is a residential facility for 59 people with developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism and epilepsy.
Its mission is to provide a home that supports its residents’ efforts to maximize their physical, cognitive, social and emotional abilities so that they can attain their highest level of independence in an environment where people are treated with dignity and respect.
— Nikki Ramirez represents Hillside House.
