Those looking for a great gift idea this holiday season can look no further than their own feet. Two local organizations are working this holiday season to gather new and gently used shoes for those in need.

The Demopolis High School Key Club and the Demopolis High School Anchor Club are working alongside the Demopolis Kiwanis to collect footwear to be sent to Mexico.

“All the shoes are going to Mexico because they have had a lot of floods and some bad weather,” DHS Key Club advisor Cyd Boland said.

The shoe drive got off to a good start earlier this semester when Sgt. Mike Black and the Demopolis High JROTC collected more than 300 shoes donated by the National Guard.

In all, the Demopolis High groups have amassed more than 400 pairs of shoes. The drive will continue through Wednesday, Nov. 30.

“They can contact me at the school or they can contact Barbara Hill directly,” Boland said of how to donate.

The Marengo County chapter of the Alabama FFA Association is also collecting new and gently worn shoes as part of its partnership with Soles4Souls Inc.

“Soles4Souls Inc. has committed to collect and distribute shoes to people living in extreme poverty and recovering from natural disasters. The shoe charity provides one pair of shoes to a person in need every seven seconds. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has distributed more than 16 million pairs of shoes because of the generosity and commitment of people and organizations like the Alabama FFA Association,” a press release from Soles4Souls Inc. read. “Soles4Souls believes partners like ALABAMA FFA will challenge others to become a force of change by helping the charity cater to the evolving needs of the global community. The shoe charity recognizes its success is the result of individuals and industry partners such as the Alabama FFA Association, who clean out closets and warehouses so that individuals

around the world can have a better life through Americans’ excess.

Soles4Souls and Alabama FFA will be collecting your new or gently worn

footwear and/or donations to make a tangible difference through the gift of shoes. Every donation will support the charity’s initiative to distribute shoes to those in need.”

Shoes will be collected throughout the year at local FFA Chapters,

concluding with the 2012 State FFA Convention which begins on June 5th, 2012

People and companies interested in donating can visit the organization’s website at www.giveshoes.org.