Soles4Souls®, the Shoe Charity, and Sport Chalet Partner for Japan Relief Efforts

NASHVILLE, Tenn. and LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Soles4Souls (www.giveshoes.org) and Sport Chalet have joined forces again to bring shoes to victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the Pacific Rim.  With more than 500,000 individuals homeless and living in shelters in Japan, the proud and even prosperous country is overwhelmed by the need and devastation.  

Sport Chalet will help those suffering by collecting footwear in support of Soles4Souls' commitment to donate footwear to the affected areas. Beginning March 18 through April 10, customers at Sport Chalet's 55 stores will have the opportunity to drop off a gently worn pair of shoes.  All donations will directly support relief efforts.  

Soles4Souls has partnered with other organizations on the ground in Asia to transport and distribute the aid to the victims in need in Japan.  With the damage estimated at more than $200 billion and rising, the need for items like footwear is great.  Soles4Souls, which was founded after the Asian Tsunami in 2004, has continued to respond to natural disasters like the one in Japan with footwear that protect victims against foot-borne diseases.  With a proven response system in place, victims like those in Japan are provided a pair of shoes that will offer hope and protection during the rebuilding efforts.  

"As we keep those affected by the tsunami in our thoughts, we cannot forget how important basic necessities – such as shoes – will be for our friends in Japan," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "We deeply appreciate Sport Chalet and their customers for rallying behind this cause and offering a way for individuals on the west coast to do their part and help others in need."

"After the devastation that we witnessed with Haiti, we were able to collect and ship over 1 million pairs of shoes to the victims of that tragedy," said David Hacker, Director of Marketing at Sport Chalet. "So, of course, after the earthquake and tsunami happened in Japan, our initial reaction was to once again do our part and offer customers at our 55 locations an opportunity to affect the lives of the suffering through the mission of Soles4Souls.  And with the threat of a tsunami coming so close to home, it is a natural response for Sport Chalet to offer our resources to help those who have been affected by this disaster."

For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls® & Clothes4Souls®

Soles4Souls collects, recycles and reuses shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and closets from individuals.  We distribute usable shoes to people in need around the world (we recycle less than 2% of donated footwear). Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 13 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 7 seconds).  The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States.

Clothes4Souls, a new division of Soles4Souls, provides hope for hurting people through the gift of new clothing from manufacturers, designers, and retailers.  Those who graciously give (rather than destroy) unused inventory are assured their donations are distributed to people around the world living in desperate need.

Donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Visit www.giveshoes.org or www.clothes4souls.org for more information.

About Sport Chalet

Sport Chalet, founded in 1959 by Norbert Olberz, is a leading, full service specialty retailer with 55 stores in California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah; Sport Chalet online at www.sportchalet.com; and a Team Sales division. The Company offers more than 50 services for the serious sports enthusiast, including backpacking, canyoneering and kayaking instruction, car rack installation, snowboard and ski rental and repair, SCUBA training and certification, SCUBA boat charters, team sales, racquet stringing, and bicycle tune-up and repair at its store locations.

SOURCE Soles4Souls