Attention anyone with a closet: Those shoes you no longer want are desperately needed to fight the human tragedy of global poverty.

That’s the message being delivered by personal trainer, Viviane Vallance who has launched a drive to collect hundreds of shoes to help the poor. Used and new shoes can be dropped off at any of the Tri-State Rehab/Preferred Fitness locations throughout the Tri-State, with the Ironton location being the main drop off point for bulk donations.

The shoes that Vallance collects will be delivered to Soles4Souls, an international anti-poverty organization that monetizes used shoes and clothing to create sustainable jobs and fund direct relief efforts, including distribution of new shoes and clothing. Founded in 2007, the organization has distributed more than 25 million shoes in well over 100 countries.

“We are supporting Soles4Souls because it is the definition of a social enterprise where solid business practices are used to create positive change in people’s lives,” said Viviane Vallance. “Tri-State Rehab and Preferred Fitness is a strong supporter of Soles4Souls’ anti-poverty mission, and we hope to take a big step in providing the organization with the used shoes they require to keep making a difference for people in need.”

Soles4Souls — which holds the highest rating from nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator — will convert every used pair of shoes collected from the community into a value-added social currency to achieve positive change, both humanitarian and economic. Most of the reusable shoes will be distributed to microenterprise programs that create jobs in Haiti and other poor nations.

The resulting revenue will help fund the free distribution of new shoes in the U.S. and overseas. Among its relief programs, the organization has distributed more than 50,000 new pairs of shoes to help Philippine victims of Typhoon Haiyan.

The connection between poverty and shoes is well documented. The World Bank estimates that approximately 400 million children worldwide — more than the entire U.S. population – live in pronounced poverty. Millions of these children will grow up never having had a pair of shoes, resulting in significant ramifications for their health and well being. Lacking proper footwear, countless children will not be able or permitted to attend school.

And tens of millions of these poverty-stricken, barefoot boys and girls will be infected with soil-transmitted parasitic diseases like hookworm, causing lasting suffering and lifelong debilitation.

“The simple truth is that almost anyone with a closet has shoes they don’t wear, or an old pair that will just end up in a landfill,” said Vallance. “Give those to us, and know that you are taking a step to making the world a better place for all of us.”

Tri-State Rehab/Preferred Fitness used shoe drive for Soles4Souls information

From now through Sept. 30, bring your used shoes of any kind to any Tri-State Rehab/Preferred Fitness location. For multiple/bulk donations drop off at the Ironton office at 711 S. Third St.

Other locations:

Ashland, Ky. — 2700 Greenup Ave.

Louisa, Ky. — 172 Townhill Road, Suite #5, Louisa Plaza

Westmoreland, W.Va. — 4120 Waverly Road

New Boston — 4643 Gallia St.