Shoe Drive 2017
If you live in the Mansfield, Ohio area please donate your gently used or new shoes during our shoe drive. We are collecting shoes, sandals, boots, athletic shoes….any footwear. We cannot accept one shoe, it must be a pair which is not worn out.
The shoes will be sold to small business entrepreneurs in third world countries. The money from the sale of the shoes will then be used to purchase food, school supplies, and blankets for orphans in Malawi.
Why purchase food?
-The physical growth of at least 50% of the children in Malawi under the age of 5 has been stunted because of chronic malnutrition. It is estimated that 55% to 74% of its population live in extreme poverty. Many families will take in several orphans so the strain on their household is great in this extremely poor country. Therefore, it is very helpful for the caregivers to have the orphans fed at the orphan project.
Why provide school supplies?
-School supplies are not provided by the school so the student must bring their own. In this extremely poor country, most students cannot afford any school supplies.
Why provide blankets?
-Blankets in rural Malawi are a luxury. Malawi is one of the world’s most underprivileged countries. About 85% of the population of Malawi lives in rural areas and depends on subsistence farming. These families focus on basic necessities for their survival. A blanket is not a basic necessity. When these families take in orphans and other vulnerable children they share what little they have with even more people. In the colder months of May – August it is not uncommon for families to have fires inside their huts to keep warm. These inside fires are unhealthy and it is not uncommon for children to burn themselves because they slept close to the fire or for the hut to catch on fire. During the colder months school attendance drops by 25% due to preventable illnesses from the cold.
Bring your shoes to any of the collection locations during their regular business hours before October 22, unless otherwise indicated.
Bellville Post Office, 105 Bell St, Bellville (through Oct 31)
Butler Post Office, 14 W Elm St, Butler (through Oct 31)
Crowes Shoes, 56 N. Main Street, Mansfield
Elmcroft of Ontario, 2010 Walker Lake Road, Mansfield
First English Lutheran Church, 53 Park Ave. West, Mansfield
Lexington Church of the Cross, 236 Otterbein Drive, Lexington
Lexington Child Development Center, 236 Otterbein Drive, Lexington
Richland Newhope Industries, 150 E 4th St, Mansfield St. Paul Lutheran Church, 48 Church St, Bellville
Stoodt’s Market, 184 Main St, Bellville (through Oct 31)
Wedgewood Estates, 600 S. Trimble Road, Mansfield
Winchester Terrace, 70 Winchester Rd, Mansfield
Annual Shoe Drive
Malawi Orphan Care Project is hosting its annual shoe drive.
From October 23 to November 6 we will be collecting new and gently used footwear in the Mansfield, Ohio area. The money raised from the footwear donated will be used for the feeding program. Every 5 pairs of shoes donated will feed 4 children one meal.
If you are interested in hosting a shoe drive to help with the feeding program contact us at info@malawiorphancareproject.org and we’ll help get a shoe drive organized in your area.
There are already collection boxes in Butler & Bellville Post Offices and Stoodts Market through October.
Other collection boxes will be at the following locations from October 23 – November 6:
Crowes Shoes 56 N. Main Street, Mansfield
First English Lutheran Church 53 Park Ave. West, Mansfield
Lexington Church of the Cross 236 Otterbein Drive, Lexington
Lexington Child Development Center 236 Otterbein Drive, Lexington
Mansfield High School 124 N Linden Rd, Mansfield
St. Mary’s Catholic School 1630 Ashland Road, Mansfield, OH.
Northmor High School in the band room 7819 State Route 19, Galion
St. Paul Lutheran Church 48 Church St, Bellville
Winchester Terrace 70 Winchester Rd, Mansfield
Wedgewood Estates 600 Trimble Road, Mansfield
Elmcroft of Ontario 2010 Walker Lake Rd., Ontario
Education, Chickens, and Shoes
EDUCATION
Lebanon Lutheran School in Watertown, WI donated their offerings from their chapel service this past quarter to Malawi Orphan Care Project. The $1,950 they collected will be used for scholarships for high school aged orphans from Kanyenyeva Orphan Care Ministry. 
In Malawi, high school is not free so most orphans do not attend high school. The orphan project is able to send all high school aged orphans that are registered with the project to high school. This year there are 45 orphans attending high school!! This is the highest number since the beginning of the orphan project. At the orphan project, the leaders expect all of the children to attend school. With this expectation, more children are attending more regularly so each year more students are eligible to attend high school.
CHICKENS
Earlier in February, we received enough donations for the chicken/egg business to be able to complete it!! Thank you to all who donated to help get this business started. Until they can have the electricity operational, they are using solar powered lights at the business.
The area to the far right of the building is for an office/home. It now has a door, windows and has been completed!
They have purchased 500 more chickens for a total of 1,000 chicken!! They expect to have everything operational in the coming weeks. We will share more pictures when we receive them.
SHOES
If the fall of 2014, we held a shoe drive to raise money for the general operating expenses of the orphan project. Thanks to all the churches, businesses and individuals who donated and collected shoes, we raised $1,689.60!!!!
