Stars Take Off Their Shoes for Soles4Souls

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By JohnPosted In: Charity in BusinessTagged: , , , , ,

Shoes appear to be the hot charity item at the moment. Certainly, if you’re going to give to charity, you might as well end up looking your best as you do so.  That’s the idea behind Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity that has just announced an exciting new line-up of amazing celebrities who are taking off their shoes for charity.

Celebrities like Taylor Swift, Ryan Seacrest, Jimmy Fallon, Chase Crawford and others are offering their shoes for auction. Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based charity, collects shoes from all over the world and distributes them free of charge to people in need.  Since 2005, they have given away over 11 million pairs of new and gently used shoes in over 125 countries.

With their latest auction, they will be auctioning off the shoes of famous people and also auctioning four destination trips. The auction will be hosted at CharityBuzz.com.

As Kevin Goughary, CEO of Soles4Souls, said “For most celebrities, the shoes they wear are an important reflection of their personality and fashion taste. But for millions of adults and children around the world, their shoes are a necessity to protect them from life-threatening diseases like hook worm. This auction is a perfect example of one person’s shoes being able to make a real world difference is someone else’s life.”

This auction is a brilliant way for celebrities to get involved in a great cause – and for the charity to assist those who need the most basic of necessities – like shoes.

Billy Gilman Organizes Song for Soles4Souls Charity

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By DouglasPosted In: FamilyTagged: , , , , ,

Billy Gilman from Nashville, Tennessee, was famous for his voice at only 12 years old. As he grew older, however, he took a break from his music career to focus on volunteer work and charity.

His first album “One Voice” sold over two million copies, and now he has co-written a song called “The Choice” as he eases back into the industry at age 23. All proceeds from the song, which features top artists such as LeAnn Rimes, Alan Jackson, Keith Urban and Reba McEntire, will be donated to Soles4Souls. This non-profit organization works to provide shoes for both children and adults in need across the globe.

Gilman explained the importance of this organization, saying “I couldn’t imagine not having a pair of shoes, not just for the sake of being comfortable and looking cool, but I never thought until I got really involved that shoes enable you to get a job.” He added that it is forbidden to walk into a school, restaurant or other building without shoes. “It really is more than giving a pair of shoes so that kid can look hip and cool. It’s a way of life.”

Gilman said music celebrities were enthusiastic to participate in the project. He wrote to Rimes on Twitter and received a reply immediately, and Urban and Reba both said “Tell me when.”

“It’s amazing to see the camaraderie,” Gilman said.

Gilman explained that the project hopes to provide 500,000 pairs of shoes to people in need through sales of the track. He also expressed his excitement of getting back into the industry.

“Singing is what I am, so when it was gone, it was very hard. But it was a good time to go back home and rekindle friendships, be with my family and get my head straight, and figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life,” he said. “As my voice started to come back, I said, ‘this is what I am.’ Coming back to Nashville and writing, doing projects like this, it’s what I am.”