Help GrowFit collect children’s sports shoes for children in need

Jason Roberts

Mar 06, 2019

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GrowFit is once again collaborating with Shoes for Planet Earth to collect clean children’s sports shoes in good condition to donate to Life PNG Care, helping children in need.

From now until 12 April 2019, families are able to donate unwanted new or gently worn shoes at their participating childcare centre across New South Wales, from Katoomba, Warriewood and Rose Bay, right down to Wollongong. Shoes need to be children’s sizes, clean with no holes, and tied together.

For the last five years, GrowFit has partnered with Shoes For Planet Earth to collect sports shoes, and last year rescued over 1,500 pairs of shoes from the garbage. .

Founder of GrowFit, Mike Searson said that he and his team believe that every child across the globe deserves a happier, healthier future. “Unfortunately, around the world and in many parts of rural Australia, there are still lots of kids unable to afford or acquire basic needs, like shoes. Not only is this a great excuse to not throw your unwanted sports shoes in the bin - let’s face it, they are going straight into landfill - but it’s also a great chance to do a little good for another little person.”

Last year, Mike Searson spoke to The Sector about the impact that the donation drive had on the children and the early childhood education and care centres that take part in GrowFit’s programs.

“Involvement in projects like these not only builds the presence of the centre in the broader community, but it also positions the centre as a place where social justice is explored, and puts a human face to solving problems. For example, when we were collecting shoes, the children had questions such as “where are the shoes going?”, “why do some people need our shoes?” and “if we didn’t give the shoes away, where would they go?” Exploring questions like these in the centre can help to open up discussions about tricky ethical questions for children,” he said.

For more information on how to be involved in GrowFit’s shoe donation, click here.

To find out which childcare centres across NSW are partnering with GrowFit on the donation drive, click here.

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