Whom You Know: Finish Line Announces Nationwide Shoe Drive for Soles4Souls Haitian Relief Efforts

Friday, January 22, 2010

Finish Line Announces Nationwide Shoe Drive for Soles4Souls Haitian Relief Efforts

Soles4Souls®, the Shoe Charity, and Finish Line Partner for Haitian Relief Efforts
The Shoe Charity commits to sending 1 Million pairs to region

Soles4Souls (www.giveshoes.org) and Finish Line (www.finishline.com) have joined forces to bring shoes to victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Finish Line will help collect footwear to support Soles4Souls’ commitment to donate more than 1 million pairs of shoes to affected areas. Beginning January 22, customers at Finish Line will have the opportunity to drop off a gently worn pair of shoes. All donations will directly support relief efforts. The retailer will also offer a $5 discount on a new pair of footwear with the donation of a gently worn pair, subject to certain terms and conditions.

Soles4Souls has partnered with other relief organizations to transport and distribute the aid. Thirty containers of supplies, including footwear, clothing, food, water, and medical supplies are already en route to Haiti.

“As we struggle to comprehend the magnitude of this disaster, we cannot forget how important basic necessities – such as shoes – will be in the ongoing rescue and rebuilding efforts,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “We deeply appreciate the longstanding support of our friends at Finish Line and their customers in helping us provide shoes to survivors and volunteers as they work in horrific conditions.”

The death toll from Tuesday’s quake continues to rise, and survivors and rescuers are facing dire health conditions including stifling heat, lack of clean water, broken glass and raw sewage.

“We are proud that our customers have donated more than 200,000 pairs over the past two years to our friends at Soles4Souls,” said Glenn Lyon, Finish Line chief executive officer. “We want to continue that partnership and are happy to be a destination for our customers to contribute to Haitian Relief.”

For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.

About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. We distribute these shoes, free of charge, to people in need around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently distributing one pair every 9 seconds). The shoes have been distributed in 125 countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

About Finish Line
The Finish Line, Inc. is a premium athletic footwear store and one of the nation’s largest mall-based specialty retailers, offering a large selection of performance and everyday sport footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and kids. The Finish Line, Inc. is publicly traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol FINL. The company operates 679 Finish Line stores in 47 states and offers online shopping at www.finishline.com.

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