Old Shoes Change Lives
Each Fall, we run our Annual Shoe Collection in the Washington, DC and Charleston, WV areas. Over the last 12 years, we have kept almost 91,000 pairs of shoes from landfills and have raised over $48,000 to help fund Rukundo Preparatory School.
If you, your organization, community group, or business would like to participate, email info@rukundointernational.org. SSL hours are provided for students. There are also opportunities to schedule a drive in YOUR area.
Shoe Collection Benefits:
- Shoes are kept out of landfills, preventing hazardous chemical contamination.
- Shoes create microenterprise in developing countries, providing opportunities for impoverished families to earn a living.
- RI earns funds for every pair of shoes collected to fund our programs. It’s a win-win-win!
- Click here to learn more about how microenterprise works.
2026 DC-Area Collection Details
We are looking for individuals, businesses, and community groups to help us collect used shoes! They can be any wearable condition, any size. You can begin to collect shoes NOW, and they can be dropped off ONLY between October 1 – October 31, 2026 at 17001 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD in the marked truck. (Please note that this is a private residence located next door to the Quince Orchard Substation). If you’re able, please tie or rubber-band shoes together before drop-off so they stay in pairs—it’s a big help to our team. Flyers and signs are available below to aid with your collection. Thanks in advance for helping us to change lives!
Do you know a church, business, individual or community group (Girl Scouts, sports team, Rotary Club, etc), who might be interested in helping with our shoe collection? Please spread the word!
Step 1
Turn in the driveway. The GPS (and even Google maps) says that 17001 is the Quince Orchard Substation. It is not. This is the driveway next to it.
Step 2
Locate the truck on the LEFT that is designated for the shoe collection..
Step 3
Locate the door on the left of the truck.
Step 4
Put the shoes inside as far back in the truck as possible, to make room for more shoes.