Shoes for Love and Dando Amor

Just click on the map to get to the real interactive map showing the actual location for the show drop off closest to you.

by Skip Cohen

"We interrupt the normal Sunday Morning Reflections post for a special announcement!"  Normally I'd publish information like this in the Giving Back section of the site, but for this project we're down to the wire and it's only supposed to run until the end of the month. That gives all of you a week to go digging for shoes!

My buddy Lori Nordstrom and I talked about it weeks ago. She was going to send me information and got busy. Then she sent me information just as we were kicking off the first SCU program in Las Vegas and I was busy. Well, the show got in the way and as life seems to have it, so did other projects and I just forgot.  So, here I am, trying to help Lori and Travis get the word out in time to make a difference.

Participating Studio Map

The project is Shoes for Love and it's foundation is deep in the word "Love". It's all about raising funds to help orphans in Ecuador with a shoe drive...and every one of you can help. There isn't a single one of us who doesn't have a closet full of shoes we should have retired years ago. Here's a better description off the Dando Amor site:

"We have chosen the orphanages in Ecuador as our first place to reach out. The children in Ecuador will both fill and break your hearts!

Most of the kids there will never be adopted…they have to be orphaned for 3-4 years before they are adoptable, which means that most will live their lives in the orphanage.

One of our friends has described what we’re doing, “There is an age-old question about the tree falling in the forest when no one is there…does it still make a sound as it falls? It’s the same in regards to these children; If a child is lovable, has a heart that is aching for attention – is he not lovable because there is no one there to love him?” We’ve considered this and said YES. That child is lovable and should be shown love.

Our hope is to give these children a better life there as well as to equip them with the tools needed to become confident and capable adults. We’ve been told that speaking English and having computer skills will increase their chances of survival once they leave the orphanages, so we began with that in mind in the fall of 2010. Our team was able to fix a roof in the computer room in one of the all-girls homes as well as hiring an English tutor for a full year.

We covet your prayers and your donations. Please help how you can. We know you’ll be blessed by the opportunity to take this journey with us.

Join our National "Shoes For Love" Shoe Drive being organized by Dando Amor along with partnering photographers and studios around the country! The shoe drive will be happening throughout March and your help is needed!If you can help to collect shoes, volunteer to be a drop off location, or even organize one of the major city drop-offs, please let us know!

You can contact Lori Nordstrom ([email protected]) or Travis Gugelman ([email protected]) for more information on how you can add your city to the list.

Shoes are being accepted of all sizes and in any shape. When we heard the statistic that over 680 million shoes were thrown away in America each year, we knew we needed to be a part of this, and we hope you will too! Your unwanted shoes can help to change the lives of orphaned children around the world.

Please get your family and friends involved and lets be a part of this together.

More information about the shoe drive can be found on our blog Shoesforlove.org"

---

For more information just visit Dando Amor.  I know everybody has their own charitable programs they do, but this one not only helps orphans, it helps clean out your closet and as trite as that might sound, it's a donation that everybody can contribute to!  A big thanks for your support! 

Need more information write to [email protected].

visit The Dando Amor website

Images copyright Lori Nordstrom and Travis Gugelman. All Rights Reserved.