New with this year’s drive, the community can utilize the outdoor drop-off locations 24 hours a day. Large, metal HSHRenew bins from Home Sweet Home Ministries will be placed at the following locations:
- OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in the parking lot along Veteran’s Parkway
- OSF Medical Group – College Avenue (1701 E. College Avenue, Bloomington) in the parking lot off Jumer Drive
- Center for Health at Fort Jesse (2200 Fort Jesse Road, Normal) in the parking lot off Ft. Jesse Road
The sponsors are asking the Bloomington-Normal community to donate new or gently used men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes. The sponsors also ask the public to rubber band or zip tie each pair of shoes together before dropping them in the collection bins to help with the sorting process. Please do not drop shoe boxes into the bins. For donations requiring a receipt, please go directly to Home Sweet Home Ministries located at 303 East Oakland Avenue, Bloomington.
All wearable shoes will be routed into the Mission Mart Thrift Store at Home Sweet Home Ministries for retail sale. Shoes which are not wearable will be recycled. By directing shoes into the retail store, Home Sweet Home Ministries follows the commitment of allowing clients the opportunity to experience dignity, develop capability, and practice equity. For those not able to purchase shoes due to limited financial resources, Home Sweet Home uses a clothing voucher process, allowing clients to meet their needs through their efforts or in emergent situations.
Over the past 12 years, OSF has collected more than 19,000 pairs of shoes – all donated to Home Sweet Home Ministries.
Home Sweet Home Ministries is a full-service homeless shelter open 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, and serves those in need with daily meals, shelter, and other social services.
For more information on Home Sweet Home Ministries, visit www.hshministries.org.
OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, located at 2200 E. Washington Street, Bloomington, Ill., is a 149-licensed bed, not for profit, acute care, and Level II Trauma Center facility, fully accredited by the Joint Commission. In 2014, the American Nurses Credentialing Center re-designated OSF St. Joseph Medical Center a Magnet hospital. OSF St. Joseph Medical Center is part of the OSF Healthcare System. In the spirit of Christ and the example of Francis of Assisi, the Mission of OSF HealthCare is to serve persons with the greatest care and love in a community that celebrates the Gift of Life. For more information about OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, please visit: www.osfstjoseph.org.
