Why am I just sending Crocs and no other shoes like tennis shoes, sandals etc...
These children live in a climate near the equator where there are two basic seasons. The dry season and the rainy season. In the dry season they deal with tons of red clay dust and in the rainy season it turns to wet mud clay. The temperature tends to be between 72 - 82 degrees (F) year round regardless of the season.
Some shoes have been sent over there in the past and just don't hold up. The stitching doesn't hold, Velcro quits working from the clay like dirt buildup, leather gets wet and cracks or shrinks, the soles peel away from the upper shoe due to the rough terrain wear. I thought that the Crocs would be the best compromise for these children. They are durable, have no seams, and are washable. They are also cushioned and supportive enough to give good protection against the rough elements that cause injuries and infection to their bare feet.
2 comments:
Why pay retail for the purchase of Crocs when they are (probably) extremely cheap to manufacture? I like the idea, but it would make more sense if an arrangement was made with the Crocs company by which the shoes could be purchased at cost (or "donated") instead of paying for a retailer's overhead.
Also, there are different "knock-offs" on the market. I am not sure how they hold up in durability compared to Crocs (that would require actual testing), but they may be available in gross amounts from those manufacturers, for a fraction of the price, if you express an interest in re-selling them (just like the kiosks in the mall).
This would provide more shoes at a smaller expense.
Thanks for your comment. I have contacted the Crocs company for a donation request form and I have filled it out and sent it in. We will see if they can donate some.
I feel that there are a lot of crocs or fake crocs out there that have been worn and outgrown and need a new home and that is where I feel the greatest source of these can come from. That way the cost is minimal. I do not have a lot of funds to purchase a lot of these even at wholesale but if we start fund raising and taking it to that level I will definitely consider that.
Right now I am hoping to get enough of these donated from families who have children who have out grown theirs and are willing to recycle them by donating them to this cause. I also scour the local used clothing stores in my area to find used crocs and I buy them for cheaper than original retail. But at this time I am funding these purchases out of my own pocket.
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