We’re shocked to discover Jessica Simpson doesn’t read our blog

At first when I saw this I was like well that’s stupid. Then I thought about it, the receivers will be able to sell or trade the shoes for what they deem to be more useful (like they are already doing with tents, food aid and items left behind by workers). So perhaps there will be some positive externalities!

I hope Jessica Simpson sent some stilettos to Haiti. I bet those would be useful.

Shoes are already for sale in the local marketplaces. If shoes are shipped in it outcompete the people selling shoes and potentially put them out of work as well as the factory workers making the shoes.
In addition the ports are not able to handle the amount of goods currently being shipped into the country. Could you imagine if medical supplies or food could not be unloaded because of a shipment of shoes…
Organizations would do much better either buying the shoes locally or giving people money or chits to buy what they think is most needed – it might not be shoes.
Here’s a post from Tales from the Hood who is on the ground in Haiti right now http://wp.me/puUMG-8s and two of my posts – one on donated shoes http://informationincontext.typepad.com/good_intentions_are_not_e/2009/09/donating-shoes-and-other-fads.html and the other on in-kind donations. http://informationincontext.typepad.com/good_intentions_are_not_e/2010/01/6-questions-you-should-ask-before-donating-goods-overseas.html

@joe: Sure, under the following circumstances:
- It meets a clearly described need expressed by the recipients.
- It is impossible to meet the need through existing structures in the recipients’ society.
- Negative side-effects of the donation cumulatively do not outweigh the positive effects. (This one trips up a lot of people; e.g. what negative side effects could there possibly be from donating shoes? Well, read Saundra’s response above, and many other posts.)
- The logistics of collection, transport, distribution, support, and maintenance are all carefully worked out and fully funded.
- The organisation(s) doing the collection, transport, distribution, support, and maintenance are in a position to monitor those on an ongoing basis until the end of the expected lifetime of the donation and to respond to disruptions.

How often do you think this happens?

I have to say that although I do feel that it’s important to raise awareness and help, what strikes me as somewhat unusual is the choice of things that take centre stage when it is food and homes and medical help and eduction that these people need the most.

Having done work in Africa, they don’t think about their feet or their appearance, when they are starving to death.

The media attention is great, but lets focus on the real needs.

That’s my two cents – Revealed Tricks Charlie