Grad Night Fundraiser -- We Need Shoes

The Grad Night organization – parents and supporters of the Churchill County High School graduating Class of 2021, are holding a fundraiser to raise money for the safe and sober party held after graduation.  
As part of the Funds2orgs organization, Grad Night is collecting shoes that will be donated to around the world. Organizers of Grad Night, along with students from the Class of 2021 are gathering gently used shoes, 100 bags of 25 pairs of shoes each. They cannot use rollerblades or ice skates; however, cleats and sandals of any kind are perfect along with any other kind of shoe, in any size. 
The deadline for the shoe collecting is February 20th and shoes can be delivered to drop-off locations at: Louie’s Home Center, Enamel Salon, Churchill County Sheriff Department, Churchill Auto Sales, Fitness for 10, and Big 5.  
The gently worn, used and new shoes that are collected by the thousands of partners of the Funds2orgs group shoe drive are consolidated and shipped to many micro-enterprise partners around the world, where they are sold to small business owners for a low price.  
The Funds2orgs Group seeks to provide an opportunity for people to help themselves out of poverty and do not just give away the shoes, as this would decimate the local market for shoes and clothing and destroy local jobs. Additionally, some developing countries, particularly in Africa, do not permit apparel to be given away.  
It is for these reasons that the Funds2orgs Group promotes commerce and business for small business owners. Shoes are sold by these small business owners in communities in need of proper footwear, at an inexpensive price. Additionally, micro-entrepreneurs create a path out of poverty for themselves in countries where there are limited, if any, job opportunities that pay a living wage.  
According to a report from the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2015, textiles, including shoes and clothing, represented 16.03 million tons and 65.7% of content in landfills. In the U.S., each individual produces 4.48 pounds of daily waste, which includes shoes that are thrown away. Most people do not know that shoes and clothing can be repurposed. Approximately 50 percent of collected shoes and clothing are re-used around the world, and 70 percent of the global population uses repurposed shoes and clothing.  
This will be the 34th year of Grad Night, interrupted only by COVID last year. If the Class of 2021 is not able to hold the party again this year, Grad Night will provide each graduate with a monetary gift.