The high school will serve as the drop-off location for the trip on Tuesday, April 5. New or lightly worn sneakers of any brand (children’s sizes 4 and up and all adult sizes) will be collected from the public at the EPCHS. main entrance during class hours at 9901 S. Kedzie Ave. Donations from the public and the school community will also be accepted at baseball, softball and home track events on April 5.
The shoes will be given to GotSneakersa sneaker recycling program that raises funds for every pair of used shoes, with the goal of keeping sneakers and athletic shoes out of landfills and repurposing sneakers for those in need.
At least 200 million pairs of shoes and sneakers end up in landfills in the United States every year. Since the sneakers are made with non-biodegradable materials and produce large amounts of CO2, they remain in landfills or are incinerated, leading to toxic chemicals in our air and soil. Shoes in landfills can take 30 to 40 years to decompose.
Each pair donated through the campaign will raise funds for Christmas Without Cancer, a non-profit organization that helps local families fight the ravages of cancer. CWC has identified needs and is then providing gifts and necessities to Chicago-area families whose members have cancer to allow the beauty of Christmas to shine while family members find comfort. in their dedication to each other, according to the organization’s website.
Residents of Evergreen Park and surrounding towns and neighborhoods are encouraged to rummage through closets and gather as many pairs of sneakers they no longer want. Family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and everyone in your social networks should be invited to help, because every pair matters.
Any questions about EPCHS involvement can be directed to Anna Papasideris, EPCHS Service Club Faculty Patron, at apapasideris@evergreenpark.org.