Originally Shoeman Water Projects began purchasing and shipping well drilling rigs to Kenya were droughts and political practices leave people walking miles and miles each day to collect dirty water for their families and livestock to survive. To date Shoeman Water Projects has purchased and shipped four water drilling rigs that have drilled 140 wells serving about 130,000 Kenyan people water.

After the terrible January 2010 earthquake in Haiti The Shoeman began to investigate how to help bring clean water to Haiti as well. Even before the devastating earthquake, a whopping 45% of Haiti’s people did not have access to safe water and 83% did not have access to sufficient sanitation in 2009 according to the World Health Organization.  Contaminated ground water is the leading cause of infant mortality, and deadly hepatitis, cholera and dysentery take many adult lives on the island nation.

While investigating the water crisis in Haiti, engineering contacts at Washington University introduced Shoeman Water Projects to water needs in Haiti. In 2010 Shoeman Water Projects begin working on projects in Haiti to provide safe drinking water to people after the earth quake.  A Shoeman Water Projects team returned again in 2011 to continue their water work.

The Shoeman, his assistant, and volunteers pick up donated shoes from business, churches, civic organizations, schools, and scouting groups and deliver the shoes to exporters and retailers.  Most of the Shoeman’s transportation of the shoes is done in one of two Shoeman Water Project’s trailers generously provided at cost by Mellor Trailer.

Shoeman Water Projects exports shoes to distributors in South America, Haiti and Kenya. Shoe resale builds the local developing economy with retail businesses and affordable shoes for pennies on the dollar or barter. Affordable shoes are a life saving tool as they protect the new owner’s feet and overall health from foot abrasions, parasites and mites.

Shoeman Water Projects turns shoes into water in six simple steps.

To get the process started we need you to:

1. Clean out your closet of new and used shoes you no longer wear.

2. Tie the laces or use a rubber band to keep both shoes in the pair together.

3. Drop off your shoes in a collection bag at a shoe drive or drop-off location.

4. The Shoeman picks up shoes from drives and drop-off locations.

5. The shoes are given a second life when the Shoeman sells the donated shoes to exporters and retailers in the developing world. The resale of shoes provides jobs and affordable footwear.

6. Money from the sale of the shoes is used to purchase well drilling rigs, water filtration systems, and other supplies to bring clean, fresh water to those who thirst.

Shoeman Water Projects works with business, churches, civic organizations, schools, and scouting groups collecting used and new shoes through shoe drives and shoe drop-off locations year round. Shoes also come from several brand name shoe manufacturers.  Use the easy online form to request a shoe drive or cell phone drive kit and get started today!

George, the Shoeman, Hutchings

George P. Hutchings, 62, of Ballwin, Missouri aka “The Shoeman” is an adventurer, visionary and one heck of a funny guy.  In 1994 George founded Eagle Wings Ministries a 501 (c) 3 charity dedicated to humanitarian and educational opportunities.

As sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, George was awarded a Purple Heart after being wounded in Vietnam. Put in a body cast and evacuated in a rope litter on a C-130 transport plane, George’s plane stopped to refuel in Alaska. During the stop a nurse covered the immobile soldier with a blanket. After the horrors of combat, George was struck with gratitude for this small gesture. It was at that moment his world view began to change.

After graduating with a Masters from Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary of Fort Worth, Texas in 1980, George officially began a series of humanitarian services.  His efforts are now best expressed through Shoeman Water Projects.

John Kihumba inspired George to accomplish even greater humanitarian successes.

John Kihumba, a Missouri Baptist University student befriended George in 1997. Through their friendship, George helped John through many issues, from helping with tuition to facilitating the safe arrival of Kihumba’s son from Kenya. As their friendship developed so grew George’s understanding of the challenges facing the people of East African.  George recognized a large number of ministries and churches were addressing the needs of the disadvantaged in the United States, and decided to turn his attentions to Kenya. He began traveling to Kenya in 1998 facilitating humanitarian aid projects including meal programs, medical supplies, and clean water projects.

Sadly in 2007 John was killed while running for political office in Kenya with the hopes of serving and bettering his country. Shortly after, George heard his call to be The Shoeman turning shoes into water and answered the call by forming Shoeman Water Projects in 2008.

Since 1998, George has visited Kenya repeatedly, shipping a sizable quantity of supplies including 21,000 meals for orphans, $2 million in medical supplies, dental labs, neurosurgeons for pediatric facial reconstructions.

Happily buried in a pile of shoes, George is surrounded by a great team. From left to right: Tim Borrson, Director of Operations; Becky Nieters, Shoe Drive Coordinator; Rich Kim, Director of Donor Relations; Julie Scaglione, Director of Community Relations; and Karl Johnson, Shoe Dude of Denver.

In August of 2008 George began Shoeman Water Projects to specifically focus on clean drinking water. In his decade prior travel to Kenya he had discerned that without clean water, all other aid would be a momentary stop-gap.

From August of 2008 through June of 2011 Shoeman

Water Projects has collected over 1.5 million pairs of shoes that have become affordable shoes for those in need of projection from abrasions and deadly parasites as well as clean drinking water. The Sole Power of donated shoes collected by George and his team at Shoeman Water Projects has, thus far, resulted in the purchase of 4 water-well drilling rigs, more than 250 wells drilled serving more than 200,000 people, as well as water purification system installations and well pump repairs serving clinics, schools and villages across the globe.

Learn more about George’s life and thirst for clean water in his book Combat Survival-Life Stories from a Purple Heart.

Shoeman Water Projects works joyfully with all people who have shoes and believe in getting water to those who thirst.

Shoeman Water Projects is a ministry of Eagle Wings Ministries, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, working to alleviate as much human suffering as possible and in the process, maximize fun with a splashing good time.  Shoeman Water Projects picks up donated used and new shoes year round from businesses, churches, schools, and shoe drives. Once collected, the shoes are given a second life when the Shoeman exports the donated shoes to retailers in the developing world. The resale of shoes provides jobs and affordable footwear. Funds generated from the export of  shoes provides well drilling rigs, water purification systems, and hand pump repair mirco businesses bringing clean, fresh water to those who thirst.

Since 1998, Shoeman Water Projects founder George, the Shoeman Hutchings, has visited Kenya repeatedly, shipping a sizable quantity of supplies including 21,000 meals for orphans, $2 million in medical supplies, dental labs, neurosurgeons for pediatric facial reconstructions. In August of 2008 George began Shoeman Water Projects to specifically focus on clean drinking water. In his decade prior travel to Kenya he had discerned that without clean water, all other aid would be a momentary stop-gap.

From August of 2008 through June of 2011 Shoeman Water Projects has collected over 1.5 million pairs of shoes that have become affordable shoes for those in need of projection from abrasions and deadly parasites as well as clean drinking water. The Sole Power of donated shoes collected by George and his team at Shoeman Water Projects has, thus far, resulted in the purchase of 4 water-well drilling rigs, more than 250 wells drilled serving more than 200,000 people, as well as water purification system installations and well pump repairs serving clinics, schools and villages across the globe. Use the easy online form to request a shoe drive or cell phone drive kit and get started today!