Footnotes - Fall 2023 - 19

in many areas, access to affordable shoes are scarce and pose a
greater risk of infection as a result of walking barefoot.
As I began researching Funds2Org, my
fear of asking students to pay money on
class celebrations began to disappear. I
found that Funds2Org not only works to
deliver shoes to underserved communities
across the world, but also contributes to
the initiative in creating sustainable jobs
for small business owners who can revamp
these shoes and contribute to enhancing their
own communities. Aside from helping those abroad, I
additionally learned that our environment also benefits by
not having shoes in landfills that take roughly 40-50 years
to decompose.
Within a week of learning about Funds2Org, I
contacted our Student Government PresidentElect
at the time, Grace Jurgiel, in ensuring
we can start spreading this initiative
amongst our school community and
various Temple Affiliations. When we
received the approval, student council
members, I began setting up donation boxes
at our school, main campus, Lewis Katz School
of Medicine, gyms, nail salons, and even posting
on Facebook Marketplace and Nextdoor.
Running this shoe drive year after year, we have received
more than 1,000 pairs of shoes and work to continue the shoe
drive in supporting underserved communities and the Class
of 2025. While advertising our shoe drive, we also received
the opportunity to remind our community that giving back
comes in various forms. This effort feels even more special
for our podiatric field. I have witnessed this project increase
access to shoes and prevent the risk of infection and limb
amputations in underserved communities. The experience has
made a tremendous positive impact on my class and me. I have
been honored to participate in this endeavor and encourage
everyone to look for similar opportunities to bridge your
professional goals.
FALL 2023
TUSPM '25 Shoe-Drive Collection Box
Danica Pratta (TUSPM '25) Shoe-Drive Social Media
Takeover
Malika Kaderalli (TUSPM '25) Shoe-Drive Social Media
Takeover
19
Footnotes - Fall 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Footnotes - Fall 2023
