Hingham Freshman Collects Nearly 2,000 Pairs of Shoes for Soles4Souls Charity

A Massachusetts first-year student at Tabor Academy is leading a Soles4Souls shoe-collection effort to aid people in need worldwide.

Maggie Driscoll has set a goal of collecting 10,000 pairs this year. As of Tuesday, Jan. 20, local and Tabor community support has enabled her to gather 1,913 pairs of shoes. She is optimistic that she'll reach her goal.

According to Driscoll, the program accepts all shoe types — cleats, sneakers, dress, and casual — for men, women, boys, and girls. She noted that Soles4Souls is renting a storage unit in Weymouth for collecting shoes. It is the only one of its type in Massachusetts that offers a shoe drop-off location accepting more than 15 pairs of shoes at a time.

Speaking with the Hingham Anchor, Driscoll said her late grandmother, who organized shoe drives for children in need at the beginnning of every school year in her Wisconsin hometown, inspired her to perform this work in Massachusetts.

At Derby Academy, which she previously attended, she earned the Foley Citizenship Prize for her work with Soles4Souls. Last year, as part of her Foley Prize work, she raised more than $1,000 to dedicate to Hingham schoolchildren in the form of DSW gift cards so that they could purchase new pairs of shoes.

As a Massachusetts ambassador for Soles4Souls, Driscoll educates locals about the global need for shoes and coordinates donations through on-campus bins at Derby and Tabor, as well as through community outreach and flyers.

“These shoes not only go onto the feet of these individuals, but they are also used as a source of income for many, as they start their own businesses selling the shoes they receive from Soles4Souls,” Driscoll explained. “They are not only a source of comfort and a necessity to participate in certain activities, but they also build confidence and allow individuals to express themselves in so many different ways.”

Hingham residents and others who are interested in donating shoes can email Driscoll, who will arrange a convenient pickup and drop-off time.