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Richmond shoe store, nonprofit donate 400 sneakers to hospital

Posted at 4:15 PM, May 14, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-14 19:18:13-04

RICHMOND, Va. -- A Richmond shoe store has teamed up with a Virginia nonprofit to donate 400 pairs of running shoes to front-line doctors and nurses at VCU hospital.

Local shop Fleet Feet and nonprofit Shood (Shoes for Good) are delivering the shoes donated by On Running shoe company to the medical campus on Thursday, May 14.

“On Running is one of Fleet Feet’s top-selling brands in the Richmond market,” said Jeff Wells, owner of Fleet Feet Richmond. “When On reached out to us to offer their help during these challenging times, we took them up on their offer by asking for a shoe donation. We never expected two pallets worth of shoes!”

After learning the size of the donation, Wells contacted Shood, a Richmond nonprofit that collects gently used running shoes and reconditions them to distribute to those who are homeless or living in poverty.

For more than three years, Fleet Feet has placed collection bins in its retail stores for customers to donate their worn running shoes to Shood.

“We are extremely grateful for the outpouring of community support in these unprecedented times,” said Nathan Cunningham, patient experience manager for VCU Health, who is in charge of coordinating donations during COVID-19. “It has been a humbling experience. This particular donation is very fitting, as our team members are constantly on their feet and quite literally go the extra mile for our patients.”

To distribute 400 shoes to front-line workers, VCU Health is hosting an online giveaway inviting team members to submit their name, shoe size and shoe color preference.

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