Student Ambassadors collecting shoes

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO - Student Ambassadors are pictured left to right: Lily Johnson, Tyler Beare, Eliot Heitmann, Sophia Richardson and Airi Hoven. (not pictured Colin Potter).
Six Marshalltown Middle School students are representing the community in Japan this summer through the Sister Cities of Marshalltown exchange program. To raise funds for the exchange, these students are collecting shoes — any shoe, any style — flip flops, sneakers, high heels, cleats, golf shoes, tap shoes, snow shoes, baby shoes, etc. Shoes should have no worn out holes.
The Sister Cities of Marshalltown will earn funds based on the total weight of the pairs of gently worn, used and new shoes collected as Funds2orgs will issue a check for the collected shoes. To meet the fundraising minimum they must collect 100 bags of shoes containing 25 pairs. If they fill more than 160 bags (4,000 pairs of shoes) the team will be paid more per pound.
All donated shoes will then be distributed through the Funds2orgs network of micro-enterprise partners. Funds2org works with micro-entrepreneurs to create, maintain and grow small businesses in more than 20 developing countries where economic opportunity and jobs are limited.
This sister city relationship between Marshalltown and Minami Alps, Japan was established in the early 1980s. More than 130 students from Marshalltown have participated in this unique two-year exchange. In July of 2024, six Japanese middle school students and two chaperones came to Marshalltown to visit for nine days. These students were partnered with the six Marshalltown middle schoolers as host families to see the sights of the Marshalltown Community. In July of 2025, the local host middle schoolers and two chaperones will travel to Japan to visit the new Japanese friends.
Anyone can help by donating gently worn, used or new shoes to drop off locations until March 8. There will be collection boxes moving around town through schools and business.
The following businesses will have collection boxes until March 8.
Wayward Social – (1101 S. Sixth St.) – For every pair dropped off, people will be entered into a raffle for a free bowling party.
Nourish (209 N. 13th St.)
Masonic Temple – (26 S. First St., 3rd Floor)
Feb. 14 — MHS Girls/Boys Basketball Game Collection Night – For every pair dropped, people will be entered into a raffle for prizes.