Franklin students go global with shoe fundraiser

Just inside the front entrance of Franklin Community High School, two cardboard containers are filling up with potential.

Students, staff and community members have been bringing in gently used and new pairs of shoes throughout the month. With every part that’s added, it’s an opportunity to support the dreams of people in need around the world.

The Interact Club is hosting a shoe drive throughout February and March to raise funds for its philanthropic goals. People are encouraged to donate pairs of gently used and new shoes inside the main entrance of Franklin Community High School.

Depending on the total weight of the shoes collected, the club will receive money from Funds2Orgs, a Florida-based company repurposing shoes to support micro-enterprises in developing countries around the world.

With a simple donation of a pair of soles, the Johnson County community can do something positive for their own souls.

“I’ve been in this club for four years, and I don’t think we’ve done anything like this that has a global impact. This is helping nations outside of our own,” said Pawanjeet Deol, Interact Club president. “It’s an honor to be able to do this and help people. A lot of students are excited to be part of this.”

Interact is a service club of Rotary International aimed at students ages 12 to 18. Interact clubs are sponsored by individual Rotary clubs, which provide support and guidance, but they are self-governing and self-supporting.

At Franklin Community High School, the Interact Club works on service projects including volunteering at the Interchurch Food Pantry, taking part in Christmas Angels and writing letters to local nursing home residents.

“It’s a very service-based club. We want to help the community — our slogan is ‘Service above ourselves,’” Deol said.

The idea to raise money through Funds2Orgs was born out of the club’s desire to be more active and engaged in global causes, Deol said.

“We’ve been cycling through a number of fundraising projects,” she said. “We were looking for something new, and (advisor Bea Northcott) came across this and shared it with the club. We thought it was a good idea.”

Funds2Orgs mission spoke to club members. The organization was founded in 2013 to help groups in the United States with fundraising while supporting micro-enterprises in countries around the world.

Micro-enterprises are small businesses, generally owned and operated by families of one or two people. Systemic poverty in many developing countries around the world forces working-age adults to create their own economic opportunities, according to Funds2Orgs website.

When organizations hold shoe drive fundraisers, they help provide the inventory for those micro-enterprises.

“These shoes become a source of income for them. They can start a business with them, and it’s sustainable that way,” Deol said.

Interact Club members have been advertising the shoe drive with posters and announcements at school, while also receiving help from the Johnson County Public Library and Franklin Rotary Club members.

The public can support the Interact Club’s shoe drive by donating gently-worn used, and new shoes inside the main entrance at Franklin Community High School, 2600 Cumberland Drive. The entrance will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Any type of shoes are acceptable including athletic shoes, sandals, heels, cleats and boots. Mismatched or single shoes, wet, moldy or torn shoes and any kind of skates are not accepted.

“It’s an honor to be helping people. It definitely makes us feel more connected to Rotary (Club),” Deol said.