Twenty-Year-Old to Walk 1,800 Miles up East Coast Barefoot for Soles4Souls®, the Shoe Charity, to Raise Awareness for Millions Worldwide Without Shoes

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May 17, 2010, 03:51 ET

NASHVILLE, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Soles4Souls®, the international shoe charity, announced Monday that 20-year-old Dash Alsup will leave his shoes at home for the second time in two years to walk thousands of miles barefoot to raise awareness for the 300 million children worldwide who do not own shoes. Soles4Souls is launching the 'One Walk,' which has Alsup beginning in Homestead, FL on May 15 and will continue north along the coast until he reaches New Brunswick, Canada in September. The total trek will be 1,860 miles barefoot.

Alsup walked across the US once before for Soles4Souls in 2008 beginning in Ocean Shores, Washington and ending in Jacksonville, Florida. Alsup will walk on average 18 miles per day and sleep in a pup tent at night. Soles4Souls will also host shoe distributions in several cities Alsup will be walking through in support of his efforts. The general public can get involved and sponsor Dash by donating $1 per mile at www.soles4soulsfundraising.org/dash.

"We were stunned when Dash called us up and said he wanted to once again take off his shoes and walk hundreds of miles for our organization," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "It is exciting that a young man like Dash understands the overwhelming need for proper footwear and wants to give a voice to the millions of children worldwide who do not have one."

About Soles4Souls®

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 8.5 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

SOURCE Soles4Souls