Funds2Orgs
Private | |
Industry | Social Enterprise |
Founder | Wayne Elsey |
Headquarters | Orlando, Florida, United States |
Website | www.funds2orgs.com |
Funds2Orgs is a Orlando, Florida based social enterprise company.[1] Founded in 2013, Funds2Orgs works with organizations to help them raise money collecting used and new shoes that are distributed to microentrepreneurs in developing nations.[2]
History
Funds2Orgs was founded by executive and philanthropist Wayne Elsey.[3] While president at Kodiak-Terra USA, Elsey organized the shipment of 250,000 pairs of shoes to countries that were affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.[4] The following year nearly one million pairs of shoes were delivered to the Gulf Coast States hit by Hurricane Katrina.[5] After these two disasters Elsey decided to establish a nonprofit called Soles4Souls[6] and in 2007 left Kodiak-Terra to become CEO.[7] In 2012 Elsey left Soles4Souls and founded Funds2Orgs the following year.
Since inception, fundraising campaigns Funds2Orgs have worked on include "Feet for Francis" sponsored by the Archdiocese of Baltimore,[8] "Million Pair Initiative" organized by cancer nonprofit The Half Fund,[9] and "Shoe Me The Love", a fundraiser to purchase a wheelchair accessible van for a man afflicted with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.[10]
Business Model
A micro-enterprise business, the aim of Funds2Orgs is to enable people to create their own self-sustaining economic path.[3][11] Funds2Orgs purchases the shoes that their shoe drive fundraising partners collect in North America and sells them for a nominal fee to microentrepreneurs in developing nations who repair, clean, and re-sell the shoes in their local communities for a profit.[12][13]
Company Portfolio
In January 2016 Funds2Orgs acquired Shoes With Heart, Southern California's leading shoe drive fundraising business.[14] The same month Funds2Orgs announced the launch of subsidiary brand Sneakers4Funds focusing on organizations and athletic teams who are looking to raise funds by exclusively collecting athletic shoes.[15]
References
- ↑ "Crowdfunding watch: Funds2Orgs". Corporate Knights.
- ↑ "If the Shoe Fits - Funds2Orgs".
- 1 2 Citi (24 March 2014). "Citi'sVoice: How A Former Shoe Salesman Supports Microbusiness In The Developing World". Forbes.
- ↑ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/dedicated-helping-poor-foot-time-article-1.267249
- ↑ "'Soles4Souls' Helps Poor Walk a Better Path".
- ↑ "How One Small Act of Kindness Sent Millions of Shoes Around the World". Cardboard Magazine.
- ↑ http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2007/04/16/daily5.html
- ↑ "The Catholic Review > Home > Feet for Francis brings $12K in scholarships to Baltimore archdiocese".
- ↑ "News".
- ↑ "Athens Man asks community to "Shoe" him some love". WHNT.com.
- ↑ "Shoe Drive Fundraisers can Help Micro-Enterprises". Funds2Orgs.
- ↑ "New crowdfunding platform uses shoes as currency". World Footwear.
- ↑ http://www.heartreachalaska.com/media/What%20is%20Micro%20Enterprise.pdf
- ↑ http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2016/01/13/elsey-enterprises-acquires-california-firm.html
- ↑ Barbara Schneider-Levy. "Shoe-Drive Group Funds2Orgs Debuts Sneakers4Funds - Footwear News". Footwear News.
External links
- Official Website
- Funds2Orgs on Facebook
- Funds2Orgs on YouTube
- Funds2Orgs on Twitter
- Elsey Enterprises
- Sneakers4Funds
- Shoes With Heart