Getting Off On The Right Foot

Sounds of good cheer and laughter filled The Booth Centre in St. Catharines on Wednesday May18th. This abundance of joy was all thanks to BioPed, a company dedicated to treating conditions related to feet and lower limbs. On this special day, Bioped shut down its clinics across Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and British Colombia to help The Salvation Army promote The Dignity Project.

You might find yourself asking, “What do feet and dignity have to do with one another?” The answer is plenty! Many of us take our shoes for granted, we often forget about the men, women and children who do not have supportive shoes. A pair of worn-out shoes can be one of the first visible signs of poverty. Without adequate shoes, these Canadians may be at risk for foot related discomfort and other lower limb ailments. What Bioped does is assess potential risks and create a plan of action to prevent it or treat existing problems. To bring quality shoes to less fortunate Canadians, Bioped created The Goodytwoshoes Foundation. This year they traveled to 23 Salvation Army shelters across Canada to give away thousands of gently-used shoes so that the less fortunate do not have to worry about how uncomfortable their current pair of shoes are or where their next pair is going to come from.

News of The Goodytwoshoes’ arrival spread quickly in St. Catharines on Wednesday. Over 150 men and women left happily with either a pair of shoes or brand new orthodic shoe inserts. Many of the Bioped staff were moved by the appreciation of people and their heartfelt stories. Some clients shared that the shoes they received that day were the first new pair they had gotten in years. A pair of shoes may not be on the minds of everyday Canadians but to the less fortunate it becomes another sign of their struggle, but with the help of Goodytwoshoes, they can experience the dignity of wearing a pair of shoes they are proud of.

The team from BioPed locations in Stoney Creek and St. Catharines, Ontario, were on hand at The Salvation Army Booth Centre in St. Catharines to properly fit and distribute footwear to individuals in need. The day was a partnership created within the Salvation Army's "Dignity Project".