How to Donate Orthopedic Shoes

Orthopedic shoes help people suffering from circulatory problems such as those caused by diabetes, providing comfort from the pain caused by daily activities such as walking or standing on their feet. These shoes can be expensive and hard to afford while paying medical bills, but you can help someone get back on his feet by donating orthopedic footwear.

Things You'll Need

• Usable orthopedic shoes
• Disinfectant spray
• Antifungal spray
• Light-fiber cloth and/or shoe cleaning Kit
• Bag or shoebox

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Instructions

Disinfecting

• 1

  Untie the laces and air out the inside of the shoe.

• 2

  Spray the inside with disinfectant spray to kill germs and bacteria.

• 3

  Administer the antifungal spray to all areas inside the shoe, making sure to thoroughly spray the toe area.

• 4

  Dry the shoes by leaving them outside in the sun or by carefully using a blow-dryer on the inside of the shoe.

• 5

  Shine the shoes by rubbing the exterior with the light-fiber cloth to make them presentable.

• 6

  Store the shoes in a plastic bag or an unused shoebox.

Donating

• 7

  Search online or in the phone book for medical equipment retailers near you. A good place to find a place for donations is the Red Cross. You can also check orthopedic shoe company InStride for its donation services at instrideshoes.com.

• 8

  Contact the medical equipment provider and arrange a time to drop off the shoes. Let the retailer know the condition of the shoes and that they have been cleaned. You also can find a person with diabetes or circulatory problems through the medical equipment retailer and donate your shoes to him directly.

• 9

  Go to www.diabetes.org and enter the "Support the Cause" section. Read about different ways to donate and find someone in need.