This is a wonderful opportunity and an interesting new challenge.
D.I.K. now have 8,000 pairs of new footwear in their Store, that we know will make many people happy, but it’s up to our Clubs to find the people who need each particular pair of shoes.
Over the years we have developed an excellent relationship with Global Hand, an organization that encourages recycling reusable goods and links potential donations, with people who need them. The organizations who want the goods, state their case, how the goods will be distributed and why they should be chosen. Our track record in the goods we have pitched for is excellent.
Our bid was selected by Croc’s and after five van loads, we now have 8,000 pairs of new shoes, in around 500 cartons in a range of colours and sizes – Male, Female and Children. The goods have to be given to people in need in Australia for free.
We need to compliment good corporate citizens like Croc’s, who make the effort to recycle surplus material and make it available for people in need.
After a considerable effort by the DIK Volunteers the rough sort, is complete. The result is around 40 pallets containing an average of 200 pairs of shoes. We think there is around 50 different styles in different colours and sizes. We have a full list of what we have received, but no way of identifying in detail what is in each carton.
Very few shoes are in individual cartons. Some are in the original bulk cartons; at a glance you can see that all of the shoes are the same type, but not the number or the size. Many are the same type, but not in the original carton, so the label on the carton may not match the contents. Some are mixed cartons. Even trying to establish if some styles are male or female is a guess
.
The Store is not designed for the feet coming to the shoes and the distribution needs to take place off site. The volunteers in the Store will do what they can to indicate what is in a pallet, but the individual cartons won’t be opened for people to inspect when being collected. The shoes only available in pallet loads.
Rotarians are creative and we are confident that you will find a way to get the shoes to their new owners. We know that Clubs will only give them to deserving people. DIK does not need the full recipient details, but we are obliged to give the donors an indication of where the shoes have gone.
DIK does not wish to interfere with how each Club handles the distribution, but we would like to know you have thought it through.
One idea is for Clubs to combine their efforts and share a display and distribution outlet. The greater the range available, the easier distribution will be.
This is a great opportunity to help some of the people who are struggling at the moment. It will be a great boost for the people who receive them and for the people handing them out.
How Clubs want to handle this is up to them. Our focus is on “Doing good in the world” and some Clubs may see this as a Comminity, DIK or Recycling Project. The recipients wont know the difference.
It’s a lot of Croc, but this time
the Quakka’s are happy
If our Club is interested please contact David Dippie marketing@rotarydik.org