Help Kids With Your Sole.
“Sole Support for Guyana is dedicated to providing underprivileged children in Guyana with footwear. Our mission is to collect slightly used and new shoes, collaborate with community stores and organizations to help donate new shoes to send to Guyana so we can help ensure that needy children in Guyana always have shoes to wear. In addition, we strive to raise funds to provide clothing, food and school supplies to those in need.
Water for Life
Sole Support
Ethan Wiltshire
Founder and President
Ethan was born in Brooklyn, NY on July 3rd, 2007. He attended Lenox Elementary and Baldwin Middle school in Baldwin, Long Island. He demonstrated leadership skills at an early age by becoming student class president for his elementary school. Ethan relocated to North Carolina with his parents and siblings in 2021. He is currently a Junior at Atkins Academic and technology High School in Winston Salem, NC. Ethan plays the cello.
How did it start?
Soel Support for Guyana is an organization that was founded by Ethan Wiltshire in August 2023.Ethan decided to start the organization after a week medical mission to Guyana in August 2023. While on the medical mission, Ethan volunteered in various villages in the east coast of Guyana. He noticed that some of the children who were in the villages were not wearing shoes and many of the children’s shoes were in very poor condition.
1) shoes help to protect us from diseases. Over 1.5 billion people are affected with foot born disease that can be prevented if they wear proper shoes. Children in the Caribbean can get exposed to various worms when they do not wear shoes. Worm infection can affect growth and body functions.
2) shoes and socks are usually in the top 5 items children are in need of for school. Having good shoes helps children to focus on their education.When kids in school don’t have proper shoes, they can be bullied and then might not want to attend school.
"Sole Support for Guyana is dedicated to providing underprivileged children in Guyana with footwear. Our mission is to collect slightly used and new shoes, collaborate with community stores and organizations to help donate new shoes to send to Guyana so we can help ensure that needy children in Guyana always have shoes to wear. In addition, we strive to raise funds to provide clothing, food and school supplies to those in need.
To eventually partner with shoe companies, sneaker stores, collaborate with other community organizations and schools to help expand the supplies and be able to donate more shoes for children in need.
-Plans are currently on the way to partner with one orphanage in Georgetown Guyana. The plan is to collect enough shoes for the children in the orphanage to be delivered in August 2024 when Ethan returns to Guyana for the medical mission.
- With extra funding, Sole support with provide food, clothing and school supplies in addition to the shoes, to the orphanage and children in need in the Villages.
Where do donations come from?
Donations come from friends, family, fellow school mates, church members, shoe stores, local businesses, professional associations. Donations are made in the form of a new pair(s) of sneakers, barely used shoes,monetary donations made out to Sole Support Guyanaor a secure online donation made through our website.
Where should donations be mailed to?
Sole Support Guyana
505 buck run drive
Kernersville, NC 27284
How and when are shoes distributed to children in Guyana?
Sole Support Guyana seek to partner with other established charitable organizations in the community and throughout the US. The goal is to collect enough shoes to be able to provide shoes to various orphanages in Guyana. The shoes will be shipped to Guyana in time to be distributed in August. Sole Support Guyana plans to have “back-to school” event and use that time todistribute the shoes before the school year starts. We hope to always raise enough funds to provide food and school supplies throughout the year as well.
