Shoes keep us warm, dry, active, and sometimes fashionable. Shoes are important for walking and traveling, to see and experience the world around us.

I have fond memories of shoe shopping with my mom. Searching for a popular new style of boots for fall and winter, strappy sandals for spring and summer, or the perfect pair of high-heeled shoes that match a formal dress for a special occasion. There were many times we would laugh in the shoe department when we turned to each other with a shoe in hand—”Do you like this one?”—and we were holding up the same exact shoe! Or the time mom would come into work, and we would be wearing the same type of shoe or comment, “Cute new shoes!” I also smile when I think of the time we went together to buy my sons their first pair of shoes when they were babies; mom was in her glory to do this with her daughter and grandsons.

My mom hasn’t worn shoes in three years while she is in hospice and bedridden due to end-stage Alzheimer’s Disease. A closet full of her once-worn flats, wedges, sandals, slip-on casual shoes, and heels remains. The shoes in mom’s closet no longer serve a purpose for her. I tell myself they are just shoes, box them up, and donate them. But the shoes tell a story of a life well lived and loved.

I have often said that my mom would give you the shirt off her back or the shoes off her feet if you needed. When thinking about the painful idea of cleaning mom’s closet, I am sure she would want someone else to benefit from them. I found a charity to donate shoes, Soles4Souls, and they are focused on making a measurable impact on people and the planet. What better way to help “pay it forward” than by providing relief, creating jobs, and empowering people to break the cycle of poverty? The only thing holding me back from boxing them up and mailing them to the charity is the pure finality of it all.

I read about a donation opportunity in our community and thought, “This is perfect!” Mom loved shopping with me at the Cherry Hill Mall, and she enjoyed accessories from the Brighton store. They are currently collecting slightly worn shoes at this location until July 8, 2023, and the donations will go to Soles4Souls. This deadline encouraged me to “just do it” and donate my mom’s shoes.

Please join me in paying it forward by donating your gently worn shoes so that others will benefit from your generosity.