Instead of tossing last year’s kicks, LaQuist hopes you will give your old shoes new life by recycling or donating them.

Recycle…

If your shoes are too worn out to wear, Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program collects old shoes – ones that would otherwise go to landfills – and recycles them into something new, like tracks, courts, fields, playground surfaces, and more. Simply bring your old shoes to a Reuse-A-Shoe collection location, which can be found at most Nike and Converse retail stores, or click here to find the one nearest you!

Donate…

If your shoes still have life in them, here are a few great ways to donate them…

The Salvation Army: When you donate goods to The Salvation Army, those goods are then sold through Salvation Army Family Stores and the proceeds from those purchases are used to fund their Adult Rehabilitation Centers. So every donation and every purchase makes a difference only just for those in the grip of addiction, but for their families as well. Click here to locate a donation center near you!

Goodwill: When you donate goods to Goodwill you create opportunities for individuals in your community looking to find a job and build skills. Those goods are sold through Goodwill stores and the proceeds from those purchases are used to provide career, family and financial support services for individuals in your community. Click here to locate a donation site near you!

Solea Water: Shoes donated to Solea Water enter a secondary market and become available to micro-businesses and entrepreneurs in developing countries throughout Latin America. Entrepreneurs there have the opportunity to purchase your donated shoes and resell them, thereby fighting poverty in a lasting way – through job creation and support. If you are in the Saint Louis area, click here to find a shoe drop off location near you!