FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Three Chambers of Commerce in UPTOWN Launch Shoe Drive to Raise Funds, Support Microenterprise in Developing Nations and Help the Environment
The public is invited to participate in “WE ARE UPTOWN SHOE DRIVE and RAFFLE” UPTOWN South Florida, Feb 24, 2014: Three Chambers of Commerce representing North Miami, North Miami Beach and Aventura Sunny Isles Beach are leading a shoe collection drive on March 15th, 2014 to raise funds while also benefiting microenterprise ventures in developing nations and keeping old shoes out of local landfills. Individuals can help by donating at collection boxes located throughout UPTOWN. The UPTOWN area runs from 95th Street on the south to the Broward County line on the north, west to 441 and east to the ocean.
In the US alone, approximately 630 million pairs of shoes are thrown away per year. The materials used to manufacture a pair of shoes are created from chemical compounds, the kind that will create health hazards if left to disintegrate openly or in landfills. By donating gently worn shoes to “WE ARE UPTOWN SHOE DRIVE and RAFFLE” what would have gone into landfiwill be given a second chance to make a difference. All donated shoes will be redistributed through microenterprise partners and used in developing nations for mpoverished people to start, maintain and grow an enterprise to feed,clothe house their families

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We are very excited to be conducting this shoe drive in UPTOWN notes Les Winston, President of the Aventura Sunny Isles Beach Chamber of Commerce). "This campaign will raise funds for the three Chambers of Commerce. The additional advantages of diverting shoes from the waste stream and creating commerce and sustaining peoples’ lives make this a great community campaign for everyone,” said Winston. "Our goal is to collect 10,000 pairs of shoes and the only way we can do that is if people step up and help so I am calling on everyone in our community to gather up their unwanted, gently worn shoes and bring them to one of our collection boxes."As a bonus, early donors will receive one raffle ticket per pair of shoes donated. The raffle will be held at the BIZZ BASH EXPO on March 20th, 2014 at the Kovens Center on the FIU Campus from 4 to 8 PM. “We will be giving out at least 100 raffle prizes during the Bizz Bash, so the chances of winning are very good”, said Winston.
We are also asking local schools in the UPTOWN area to assist with the collection drive by manning the collection sites on the 15th of March. The local schools that collect the most shoes on the 15th , will win cash prizes to be used for school supplies. Cash prizes to the schools will be announced at the Bizz Bash on the 20th of March. NMiamiBeach office: 305-944-8500 North Miami office: 305-891-7811