Doubly rewarding: Volunteering and donating to Soles4Souls in Nashville

Angie Smith of the Nashville dental branch used her volunteer time off (VTO) hours for a nonprofit called Soles4Souls.

“Over the several years, our branch has collected used shoes for Soles4Souls. We begin accepting donations during Giving Week and continue through the holiday season,” Angie said.

“I encourage our employees to reach out to friends and family for used shoes. We prepare collection boxes in the branch for easy drop-offs. Also, this year Brittany Hood posted on her neighborhood FB page that she was collecting shoes and asked people to donate. Then she used some VTO hours to drive around the neighborhood and pick up shoes.”

“Once all the shoes are collected, Brittany and I sort the shoes, pair them and secure them with bands. After final counts and repacking, I deliver the boxes directly to the S4S warehouse. This year, several board members had just concluded a meeting; they, along with other staff, kindly helped in unloading my vehicle and carrying everything into the facility.”

Since Angie and Brittany volunteered together, Soles4Souls received $1,000 through Dollars for Doers from the Patterson Foundation – which makes giving back doubly rewarding.