By Guest Blogger: Matt Conti

In September 2004 I was a high school student volunteering for the summer at a local hospital and was struck by the chronic problems disadvantaged patients had with their feet. For many homeless people, walking is their primary form of transportation and they often stand for hours, waiting in line to receive services.  They usually carry their possessions with them, which places additional stress on their feet.  And because they are at the mercy of the elements, their feet are frequently damp.  As a result, the homeless are likely to experience chronic foot infections like Trench Foot, caused by constant dampness and cold, severe calluses, blisters, and ingrown nails from ill-fitting shoes and a lack of socks.

After seeing the problems that can be caused by improper footwear, I decided to start a non-profit organization to serve these individuals. With the help of my father, Dr. Stephen Conti, we started Our Hearts to your Soles and soon began providing free medical foot screenings, shoes, and socks in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area.

Since then we have provided medical care, shoes, and socks to approximately 28,000 low-income and homeless clients through nationwide clinics. What began as a small, family-run philanthropic venture grew into a national event serving over 35 locations in 33 states in 2011. We have been able to provide assistance to over 4,000 men and women this year because our volunteers spend hours preparing for the event. In sites such as Philadelphia, free flu shots were offered to our clients.

We were excited to partner with Dignity U Wear for this year’s event. Dignity U Wear provided 2 pairs of brand new, warm socks for each person served by the clinic nationwide. The winter months are the most perilous for our clientele as they face freezing temperatures, which put them at risk for frostbite and other weather-related calamities. Providing footwear, quality socks, and foot care before Thanksgiving, and the most unforgiving months of the year, is an opportunity to prevent such afflictions and suffering.

Each year is a new opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life, and I find that every Thanksgiving I leave the Our Hearts to Your Soles event feeling as if I have been profoundly changed. I quickly learned that it is not the medical care, the shoes, or the socks that are most wanted. Instead, the people we serve are most thankful for the respect and recognition they receive from volunteers taking the time to serve them. It is this sense of dignity and self-worth that is our most important gift.

That is not to say that the shoes, socks and medical care we provide are insignificant. For many people, the blister they get from wearing a poorly fitting pair of shoe for the first time or from continuing to go out in their favorite pair of tattered sneakers poses only a small inconvenience to them. However, having no other choice but to walk in footwear that perpetually chafes against the same wound can cause excruciating pain and ultimately lead to infections.

I have proudly witnessed volunteers from around the country come together and, through an outpouring of compassion, make an impact on thousands of people. There is no greater responsibility than knowing that each of us has the power to positively affect others. Let us use this power to change our world – one step at a time.

Filed under: General by Dignity U Wear