When Williston Park podiatrist Mary Carlson started collecting shoes for people in need at a booth at the village’s annual street fair two years ago, she didn’t think she was laying the groundwork for a fast-growing non-profit organization.
But then, she didn’t expect to collect 10,000 shoes as her Shoes For All charity has done to date either.
“I’m thrilled to death. I started at the Williston Park street fair on a whim and it’s just taken off,” Carlson said.
Carlson’s Shoes For All charity recently received free office space for its operations in the Capitol One building in suite 202 at 983 Willis Ave. in Albertson. And her ambitions for the venture have grown as donations keep coming in.
“Eventually we’ll grow to the five boroughs and Suffolk,” Carlson said.
The operation had simply exceeded the space limits of the basement in the building of her podiatry practice at 637 Willis Ave. in Albertson, she said.
“We really couldn’t process the shoes that we had in the time that we had available. We now actually have a home,” she said. “We have a place to store our shoes and run our office out of.”
The new offices means that the five or six volunteers for the non-profit operation have an office to make phone calls to solicit donations and arrange for pick-ups with agencies that distribute the shoes.
The premise of her mission remains a simple one: if you don’t want to walk in your shoes, donate them to someone who might need them.
The entities Shoes for All has donated to include the Interfaith Nutritional Network. St. Aidan Parish Social Ministry, Lutheran Social Services, Dress for Success, TLC 911 and the Aids Center of Queens County.
“It’s becoming a real full-service charity. We’re fundraising now,” Carlson said.
A fundraiser dinner was held at the Hewlett Cafe in Hewlett on Oct. 5. Donation for the dinner were $50 and the event included a group psychic reading with medium Richard and $50 donation.
Local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have been donating their time as volunteers in the effort. But Carlson said she elevating that to a new level by starting volunteer group to be dubbed SFA Kids with the volunteers getting a free gift and credit for doing community service in process
Carlson is currently seeking Shoes For all volunteers to become members for a $15 contribution to the cause.
Her purpose is two-fold: to build a base of volunteers for the organization and to raise the consciousness of the youngsters who join.
“It’s good for them to see people who have problems around here,” Carlson said.
Anyone wishing to volunteer or obtain more information about Shoes For All can contact Carlson at 516-248-8188.
