JustServe teams with Beta Club to support shoe drive

“Shoe Us the Love!” “Shoe Us the Love!” That was the cheer at Bluffton Middle School as students rallied behind a heartwarming cause. Local members of the school’s Junior Beta Club and National Junior Honor Society launched a community-wide shoe drive aimed at making a global impact.

Dedicated 6th, 7th, and 8th graders united to support Microenterprise Collective initiatives, which empowers individuals in developing countries to rise out of poverty. Unlike traditional donation drives, these gently-used shoes aren’t simply given away. Instead, they become the seeds of small, sustainable businesses.

Dr. Linda Tuttle, a math teacher at Bluffton Middle School and mentor of both the Junior Beta Club and National Junior Honor Society, directed the project with a deeper educational purpose. This effort was about more than collecting shoes; it was about helping students understand the root causes of systemic poverty and how tangible resources—like footwear—can enable others to build commerce ecosystems in areas where jobs are scarce and entrepreneurship is essential. Elli Epps said, “Serving with my friends to help was fun, exciting, and interesting work.”

Shoes of all sizes, styles, and colors were collected as students encouraged family, friends, and neighbors to join the cause. Sixth grader Coleman Loader shared the project with his family, who then invited their neighborhood to sort through their closets. They also recommended the drive to JustServe, a free platform that connects volunteers with service opportunities. Once listed on JustServe’s website and app, the Bluffton shoe drive reached an even broader audience, helping the donations grow.

Fellow student Graham Jacobs reflected on how easy it was to join the initiative: “It’s always good to donate your extras to people in need. It feels good to help without sacrificing anything.”

The idea behind the project is both simple and powerful: donated shoes are collected, cleaned, and repaired by Microenterprise partners. Entrepreneurs in struggling communities then sell the refurbished footwear, using the profits to support their families and reinvest in their businesses.

Take David, for example—a Haitian entrepreneur who received 24 pairs of “seed shoes” to launch his street-side shop. Starting with just a thin rug and hope, David sold out quickly and returned for more inventory with the profits from the first 24 shoes. Now a regular vendor at the Port-au-Prince Market, he and his wife are building a sustainable livelihood while uplifting other families in their community.

David’s story is one of more than 4,000 success stories worldwide, all sparked by donated shoes. Middle schooler Korben Chirinos explained, “I am happy that I helping people be successful by collecting shoes from our community.”

Beyond the economic benefits, the initiative helps the environment. In the United States alone, 16 million tons of textiles—including shoes—end up in landfills each year, making up nearly 66% of land-based waste. On average, each American generates about 4.5 pounds of trash daily. Repurposing shoes not only supports families in need but also helps reduce environmental waste.

Thanks to Bluffton Middle School’s Junior Beta Club and the community’s generosity, this “shoe-raiser” is stepping up to change lives—one pair at a time.

For more information about the economics of shoe drives, as well as how to post other events for volunteers, visit shoeswithheart.com and justserve.org.

A recent transplant to the Lowcountry, Heather Chapman is learning the ways of humidified hair and salted grits. She’s quickly fallen in love with the ocean and marshes. A writer, hairstylist, and PMU artist—Heather juggles her career with family life, as a wife and mother of four in a blended family of nine. She often daydreams about spare time and a full night’s sleep. Her books are available on Amazon.