Today’s blog post is written by Soles4Souls’ new CEO, Buddy Teaster:
We often talk about Soles4Souls being a “Nashville based charity,” and while that’s true, it’s not the entire story. About 300 miles south, in the small town of Wadley Alabama, is the life blood of what we do. There, in a 300,000 sq ft warehouse, 15 dedicated Soles4Souls employees process, sort and ship 250,000 pairs each month. Wow!
And it’s not exactly the most streamlined of processes. Unlike many warehouses, our shipments don’t all come in the door with packing lists. Some do, especially from our many great corporate partners like Red Wing, Puma, New Balance, Skechers, etc. But many come in random boxes, bundles and trash bags. Sometimes we don’t even know who sent them! The shoes and clothes are often brand new with the tags still on them. Many times, it seems like items intended for the trash somehow made it into the “donate” pile. We take it all and do our best to find a home for it. The old cliche “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is more real than most of us imagine.
Wadley is not a big or prosperous town. Many of the manufacturing jobs that sustained Wadley are gone or greatly reduced. Our 15 jobs there are important and the folks who work at the Soles4Souls warehouse are happy to have them. While every place is unique, Wadley represents the many small towns across the United States where hard working people do their best to raise great kids who can prosper more than their parents. And we’re proud to do our part - not only in helping people around the world but by being a good employer there and contributing to the economic vitality of eastern Alabama.
My brief visit gave me a clear sense that this is a place where citizens come together and support their community in any way possible. Especially important to them is the school filled with about 400 students from K-12. But Wadley also has some of the rural poverty that is not really seen in the same way as it in urban areas. I had the chance to speak to some 2nd and 6th graders during my visit. I witnessed a small but very real way that the lines of community support, our mission and a dedication to helping in our own backyard, intersect to make a difference.
Someone sent me this after I returned home:
Received a call this morning from our school where you spoke yesterday. When asked by his teacher about his shoes a boy said, “My mom cannot afford to buy me any.”
These are a size 6. He was fitted correctly with a size 8. His excitement is beyond words.
