Dylan Bent, a sophomore at Walpole High School (WHS), is holding a shoe drive with the non-profit organization Soles4Souls. Bent has been running this drive since late January and plans to continue it through April. 

“I was thinking of ways I could help the community and other people, and I found this really cool organization, Soles4Souls. I’m a runner so I thought it would be great to do something that had to do with shoes so I decided to use this organization which sends shoes to impoverished countries and gives them to people [in] need,” said Bent. 

Soles4Souls is an organization that collects new and gently used shoes and clothing. Their goal is to turn waste into opportunities for others. They want to be able to provide relief to people when they need it most, create jobs, and help those who suffer in poverty. 

“I think we’ve all been in situations where we’ve had a pair of shoes that we’re not going to wear any longer and what do you do with them? They either get thrown in the trash or [could go towards] something like this,” said Principal Imbusch. 

Soles4Souls takes the donated shoes and sends them around the world to places where they are necessary. This ranges from countries across the globe to different regions of the U.S. 

“The donated shoes go to helping people in other countries and here in our own country that can wear them- that need them,” said Janine Bent. 

The Soles4Souls organization provides help to those who are in need. Those who are in privileged positions may not understand what it is like to not have access to basic needs. 

“[This drive is] really important because it helps people that need a simple necessity that we take for granted. I thought it was really important that these people get something that is just so simple,” said Bent. 

Despite Bent running the drive on a local level, he has the chance to make an impact. Soles4Souls has volunteers from all around running shoe drives. 

“I’ve gotten probably 1500 pairs [of shoes] so far, probably more, and it’s been amazing. I really believe that these shoes will be useful to people in those countries that don’t get simple [necessities] and [this organization] is just great,” said Bent. 

There is a donation bin located in the WHS lobby where you can drop off new or gently used shoes. 

“We have a huge population of kids [at WHS] and whether you’re the one collecting or whether you’re the one [that says] I’m going to go home and see what shoes I have, I think it makes a difference. It makes a huge difference to you as a person when you give,” said Imbusch.