If you have shoes you've outgrown or won't wear anymore, you can donate them to help people in developing countries and benefit the work of Erie based non-profit Chosen International Medical Assistance. Chosen has partnered with funds2orgs (www.funds2orgs). They will buy the shoes by the pound, then use them to help people in developing countries set up micro-businesses, selling shoes.

In turn, the money raised will help chosen with its larger mission of refurbishing and recycling sterilizers and other hospital equipment to help people around the globe get the medical care they need.  Jeff Mazza, Mission Trip Coordinator for Chosen International Medical Assistance talked about the organization's history. "We do medical equipment such as hospital tables, surgical lights and we fix them up and ship them to clinics and hospitals overseas," said Mazza.  That's kind of how we started back 46 years ago now. We have been 110 countries since 1969 and in 2015 we've been in 35 countries, so we're still putting out a lot of goods for a small organization."

Partnering on the shoe project makes sense for an organization that is now gathering and recycling smaller equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers that local people in need may not be able to afford.  Elaine Hixson, Director of Finances for Chosen said, "It's just a wonderful opportunity to just give back because of something that you were going to throw away, and it makes it a nice thing because we certainly don't need to fill our landfills anymore than they are."    Mazza said that between 400 and 600 million pairs of shoes end up in landfills each year adding, "We're not going to get that many, but we're just looking to see what we can do to help the environment a little bit too."

At Auntie Anne's and Cinnabon in the Millcreek Mall, they will give you a 10% off coupon for donating a pair of shoes. At Chick-Fil-A, on October 1, only from 3:30 - 7:30 p.m. if you donate 5 pairs you will receive a free chicken sandwich, fewer than 5, you'll receive a free dessert (limit one per customer).

You can also drop off shoes at Chosen 3638 West 26th Street, in North East at Park United Methodist Church, or Neckers Dental Office, In Corry at St. Paul Lutheran Church, and at Wattsburg United Methodist on Jamestown Rd. in Wattsburg.