The Ron White Foundation kicks off the fifteenth year of Canada’s largest shoe drive on January 6th with the support of music legends Celine Dion, David Foster, Paul Anka, The Canadian Tenors, and prodigious newcomers Nikki Yanofsky and Charice.  All have signed and donated their shoes to support Ron as he encourages people to “Follow in the Footsteps of their Favourite Celebrity” and donate their gently worn shoes and boots to those in need.

All donations are welcome beginning Thursday, January 6th and will be collected through Sunday, February 13th at all five Ron White locations across the Greater Toronto Area. An additional collection depot is located on the Avenues Level of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto. Shoes and boots collected in all locations will be sorted, cleaned and distributed to shelters and organizations in need.  This year’s charity partners include: Dress for Success, StreetHealth, Halton Place, Out of the Cold and Ve’ahavta.

Ron White officially kicked off the Shoe Drive at his Manulife location on Thursday January 6th.  The kick off event unveiled all new celebrity donations as well as display the shoes of past celebrity supporters including Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Matt Damon, Mia Farrow, Robert Kennedy Jr, Hilary Duff, Eric McCormack, Michael Cera and more.  Following the kick off event, celebrity shoes and pictures were distributed to all Ron White store windows to help raise awareness and encourage donations.  As part of this year’s crystal anniversary, Ron will be collecting a number of new celebrity donations while at the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles in mid-January.

“I am proud to welcome so many members of music royalty to this year’s crystal anniversary of the shoe drive – I never imagined having such incredible support!  I am always looking for new celebrity donations and I’m thrilled to say that now I have people approaching me to help out and be a part of it!  It really is amazing!” said CEO and Creative Director Ron White.  “Last year we surpassed our collection goal but we can do better! I’m asking everyone to look in their closets and to find some winter shoes with life left in them — bring them to us and we will get them to those in need.”

An initiative of the Ron White Foundation, The Ron White Shoe Drive is the largest of its kind in Canada and over the last 15 years has collected and given back more than 21,000 shoes and boots for the men, women and children.  If you’ve made a resolution to clean out that closet this year or frankly, just want to help those in need, why not start by donating that pair of shoes you’re no longer wearing?  I know, I’ll be bringing down some shoes.