This Woman Donated Hundreds of Shoes to Nebraska Flood Victims
When a Kansas woman stepped into her local Payless shoe store, employees likely weren’t expecting her to buy every pair of shoes in the store—but that’s exactly what she did. Over the weekend Addy Tritt, a 25-year-old woman from Hays, Kansas, purchased 204 pairs of shoes and donated them to victims of the recent Nebraska floods.
Over the last several weeks, flooding across the midwest has covered large areas of Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin. As of last week, 74 Nebraska cities had declared states of emergency as hundreds of homes, buildings, and entire towns were covered with flood water as a result of melting snow and heavy rain. The floods resulted in at least three fatalities, and 4,400 Nebraskans were forced to evacuate their homes, leaving behind everything except the bare necessities.
When Addy heard that a group from Fort Hays State, her recent alma mater, was planning to drive donations the hundred or so miles to Nebraska, she headed to her local Payless to purchase shoes for those who have lost everything. Back in February, Payless announced they’d filed for bankruptcy and would be closing all stores—meaning the location nearest Addy had discounted all of their shoes and was looking to get rid of the entire inventory.
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Every pair of shoes in the store had been discounted to $1 per pair, but after negotiating with the corporate office, the store only charged her $100 for all 204 pairs. She purchased 162 pairs of baby and children’s shoes, two pairs of men’s shoes, and 40 pairs of women’s shoes—which originally retailed for more than $6,000.
Addy told the Hays Post she had seen coverage of the recent flooding and felt compelled to do something. “I really feel I have been directed and guided to help people,” she told The Post. “If you can do something for someone else, you need to find a way even if it a pair of shoes.”
Related: Create an Emergency Kit for Your Home In Case of a Natural Disaster
Addy’s shoes were delivered to Nebraska on Monday, but the relief efforts aren’t over yet. If you’d like to help, these are the best ways to help the Nebraska flood victims.
