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Springint New LIfe for Worn Shoes!
Burlington County Times and PhillyBurbs.com (Photo:  Courier Post)

Robyn Kratchman and her daughter, Madison, feel their charitable effort is the perfect fit.

The mother-daughter duo have been collecting hundreds of gently used shoes for Career Wardrobe, a nonprofit agency based in Philadelphia that helps unemployed women make the transition to the workplace.

Kratchman, an Evesham resident, has been collecting the shoes since the summer.

The inspiration for the effort was Madison. The 14-year-old Cherokee High School freshman had her bat mitzvah earlier this year and wanted to do something for the community.

"It's a good idea," said the teen, an avid basketball player. "I was getting so many gifts (for her bat mitzvah), I thought why shouldn't (the needy) have shoes?"

"Her goal is to be on Oprah," her mother joked.

The "Oprah Winfrey Show" is known for showcasing people who have helped their communities.

The shoe initiative also was a nice fit with Kratchman's new business, Shoes on Main, a former chocolate store on Evesham's East Main Street that opened in September and became the collection point for the footwear.

The shoes, all of which are either gently worn or new, have been stored in a tiny room in the back of the 800-square-foot store. Boxes jammed full of donations filled the crowded room Monday.

Holding a shoe drive was a little different than the typical seasonal collections of coats and toys, Kratchman said. "It was difficult to find a place that takes shoes," she said.

The shoe drive and the business both have been a family affair, Kratchman said. Daughter, Mia, 8, and husband, Brett, who's president of BK Enterprises, a Philadelphia a specialty foods distributor, have helped out as well.

Officials from Career Wardrobe picked up the shoes Wednesday.

The agency provides business clothes as well as networking and career skills training to help women enter the workplace.

But Kratchman said their collection efforts aren't finished. Next, they'll begin collecting shoes for area homeless shelters.

Contact: cbishop@phillyBurbs.com or 609-871-8140

 

 

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 ©2010 Career Wardrobe The official registration and financial information of The Career Wardrobe may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.   This page last updated on Dec 15, 2009 - 14:02