In eleven years, Cornhusker Bank’s One Day Without Shoes has collected over 200,000 pairs of shoes and over $100,000 in monetary funds used to purchase new shoes. The Lincoln and Omaha area communities have given generously to supply footwear to those in need at Lincoln’s People’s City Mission and at Omaha’s Stephen Center. The entire process is aided by organizations who volunteer to serve as collection sites to supplement bank locations, which all host collection receptacles.
Now in the twelfth year of the event, Lincoln and Omaha residents are becoming familiar with the annual spring campaign. Many people are saving their used shoes throughout the year to donate. The story this year is a behind the scene look at the culture and commitment of Cornhusker Bank associates that drives the event. Looking for a cause all bank staff could be active in, and be inclusive of community, while serving local needs, the bank was inspired by a TOMS Shoe initiative, where TOMS donated a pair of shoes to organizations in need for the purchase of shoes. Molding that concept into an idea that could benefit those who needed shoes, while keeping nice, wearable shoes from landfills, the concept of asking other businesses to serve as collection sites, increasing the awareness of the need and making it easy to drop off footwear that would serve others well. While many organizations that joined in the effort are customers of Cornhusker Bank, it is not a requirement for them to participate. The bank asks for participants to collect shoes each year, with the list of organizations running upward of 100 locations. Bank staff coordinates delivery of collection bins and boxes with organizations, then full receptacles are taken to the Mission.
Every employee of the bank receives a pair of fun, colorful new socks to place at their work stations to serve as a reminder to themselves and others of the upcoming event. Then on the selected One Day Without Shoes day, the socks are worn by associates in lieu of shoes. There is a walk held from the Cornhusker Bank Center at 84th and O to the People’s City Mission Help Center in Lincoln to draw awareness of the need for footwear, and anyone in the community is welcome to walk.
Bank staff handles many logistical duties to make the day special. Cookies are ordered and served at bank locations. A lunch of hot dogs, chips, and bottled water is arranged to be served to anyone who comes into the bank for the walk or to donate shoes over the lunch hour. During the entire two week collection period, paper feet, which anyone donating funds may personalize with their name, are displayed in bank lobbies. The funds donated for the paper feet are used to buy larger size shoes that are often not among donations.
After the two week shoe collection period which runs from April 4th through April 16th in Lincoln, staff and their families volunteer to help sort the thousands of shoes to get them ready for distribution at the mission’s Help Center. Then the whole cycle of events begins again with a shoe collection period from April 25th through May 6th in Omaha for the benefit of the Stephen Center.
Cornhusker Bank thanks the multitude of associates who contribute their time and efforts to make this important community event successful. Area businesses who collect shoes and join the walk to raise awareness are also thanked for their important role in the event.
Cornhusker Bank 