Soles4Souls
Turning shoes and clothing into opportunity
Mission
At Soles4Souls, we turn unwanted shoes and clothing into opportunity, by keeping them from going to waste and putting them to good use - providing relief, creating jobs and empowering people to break the cycle of poverty. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, the organization repurposes product to supply its micro-enterprise, disaster relief, and direct assistance programs. With locations and warehouses across three continents, Soles4Souls has been able to distribute more than 73 million pairs of shoes and pieces of clothing in 129 countries since 2006. Visit soles4souls.org for more information.
Ruling year
2006
President and CEO
Buddy Teaster
Main address
319 Martingale Drive
Old Hickory, TN 37138 USA
EIN
20-4023482
NTEE code
International Economic Development (Q32)
Emergency Assistance (Food, Clothing, Cash) (P60)
Recycling (C27)
IRS filing requirement
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
When people lack the resources to get through today, it’s difficult for them to focus on tomorrow. Soles4Souls turns shoes and clothing into opportunities for education and employment so they can have a more hopeful future.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Direct short-term relief (shoe and clothing distributions)
Soles4Souls works with over 1,700 non-profit partners to distribute new shoes and clothing, donated by retailers and manufacturers, to people in need and in times of disaster.
1. Soles4Souls procures new product donations from retailers and manufacturers.
2. Product is sent to Soles4Souls for processing then sorted and made ready for distribution.
3. We work with nonprofit partners, such as shelters, churches and relief organizations to distribute shoes and clothing.
4. Donated product is distributed to those who need it most, helping people live healthier, happier lives.
Long-term job creation (micro-enterprise)
Repurposed shoes and clothes are donated to Soles4Souls by individuals, shoe drives and footwear companies.
1. Once sorted, we transport the shoes to vetted nonprofit organizations on the ground in developing nations, who purchase them for an average of $1 per pair.
2. Our nonprofit partners provide training and support where job opportunities don’t currently exist. People start small businesses selling shoes within their local communities.
3. Selling shoes generates the income business owners need to lift themselves and their families out of poverty, and an entire community has access to affordable shoes.
Disaster relief
Soles4Souls acts as second-wave responders in times of disaster, providing much needed shoe and clothing assistance to those affected by tragedy. The very beginnings of our organization are rooted in the response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina the following year. Since then, we have provided disaster relief from as far as the Philippines to as close as our home base of Nashville, Tennessee.
4EveryKid
4EveryKid is dedicated to providing a new pair of athletic shoes to the over 1.5 million children experiencing homelessness across the United States.
Where we work
Awards
E-Chievement Award 2007
ETown
Titans Community All-Star Partner 2008
Tennessee Titians
Establishment of Soles4Souls Relief Endowment 2008
Two Ten Foundation
Business Partner of the Year 2013
Village Northwest Unlimited
Leadership Award 2014
The Memorial Foundation
Innovation in Action Award Finalist 2015
Frist Foundation
Four Star Rating 2016
Charity Navigator
Silver Halo Award (with Macy's) for "Buy 1 Coat and We'll Give 1 Coat" campaign 2016
Cause Marketing Forum
Spirit Award 2016
Causely
Top Rated Nonprofit 2017
GreatNonprofits
Platinum Participant 2017
GuideStar
Sustainable Practices Award Finalist 2017
Piedmont Natural Gas
Team Building Award Finalist 2017
Frist Foundation
Four-star charity 2017
Charity Navigator
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of shoes (pairs) distributed for 4Relief
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Direct short-term relief (shoe and clothing distributions)
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Listed by fiscal year, which runs July 1-June 30. For example, 2021 reflects FY21, which ended June 30, 2021.
Number of shoes (pairs) distributed for 4Opportunity
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Long-term job creation (micro-enterprise)
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Listed by fiscal year, which runs July 1-June 30. For example, 2021 reflects FY21, which ended June 30, 2021.
Total amount of economic impact (USD$)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Listed by fiscal year, which runs July 1-June 30. For example, 2021 reflects FY21, which ended June 30, 2021.
Pieces of clothing distributed for 4Relief
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Direct short-term relief (shoe and clothing distributions)
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Listed by fiscal year, which runs July 1-June 30. For example, 2021 reflects FY21, which ended June 30, 2021.
Pieces of clothing distributed for 4Opportunity
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Long-term job creation (micro-enterprise)
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Listed by fiscal year, which runs July 1-June 30. For example, 2021 reflects FY21, which ended June 30, 2021.
Pounds of textiles (shoes and clothing) kept out of landfills
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
4EveryKid
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Listed by fiscal year, which runs July 1-June 30. For example, 2021 reflects FY21, which ended June 30, 2021.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
At Soles4Souls, we turn unwanted shoes and clothing into opportunity, by keeping them from going to waste and putting them to good use - providing relief, creating jobs and empowering people to break the cycle of poverty. Our goal is to create $1 Billion in economic impact by 2030.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Soles4Souls turns shoes and clothing into educational and economic opportunities. Our programs, 4Opportunity, 4Relief, and 4EveryKid, aim to make a positive difference on the planet and in people's economic, educational, physical, and psychosocial well-being.
We do this through our three program areas:
-4Opportunity (formerly Micro-Enterprise): Soles4Souls sells and distributes shoes and clothing through our international partners to help people build small businesses.
-4Relief (formerly Relief and Free Distribution): Soles4Souls helps get new shoes and clothing to people in crisis situations, freeing up financial resources they can use toward other needs.
-4EveryKid: Soles4Souls partners with schools across the U.S. to get new athletic shoes to children who are experiencing homelessness, eliminating a barrier to educational and extracurricular opportunities.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Soles4Souls' organizational capacity includes: 1) Strong human capital, including effective and methodical executive leadership; a diversified and engaged Board of Directors representing key industries and areas of expertise; and a committed team unified under a common vision and positive organizational culture. 2) Extended network of support, including individuals and groups who collect millions of pairs of shoes and hundreds of thousands of pounds of clothes; corporations that utilize our strong platform to meet their philanthropic goals; a faithful and widespread donor base; hundreds of reputable national and international partners; and strategic relationships with academic and business experts. 3) Proven micro-enterprise model that is scalable, financially viable and impact-based. 4) Comprehensive development plan emphasizing on earned revenue and diversified revenue streams.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Soles4Souls has made progress towards its strategic priorities and metrics, including:
-Launched new 4Opportunity partnerships in Guatemala and the Philippines
-Continued executing a plan to increase our supply of product including expanding our infrastructure to facilitate product collection
-pursuing new collection approaches through partnerships, engagement programs and local/domestic revenue-generating opportunities; and expansion into product streams where we have no presence
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Soles4Souls
Board of directorsas of 06/08/2023
Milledge Hart
Drake Star Partners
Randy Dunn
Hunt Brothers Pizza
Clay Jenkins
Caleres
Brian Ehrig
Kearney
Matt Priest
Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA)
Bill Strathmann
Network for Good
George Bellino
Retail advisor
Sara Irvani
Okabashi Brands
Aaron Belville
Dollar General
Lisa Collier
Under Armour
Michele Love
Footwear Executive
Michele Love
DSW
Nicholas Birren
Alliance Bernstein
William Butler
Operations Executive
Ashley Davis
Cole Haan
Tauna Dean
Adidas
Angela Harrell
Voya
Michelle Lane
Bridgestone Americas
Andy Lew
Brooks Brothers Group, Inc.
Parker McCrary
Transflo
Jeff Simpson
CoreCivic
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/27/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
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