CFL Edmonton Elks

Esks Partner to Donate Year Supply of Footwear to Women's Shelter

October 8, 2014 - Canadian Football League (CFL)
Edmonton Elks News Release


(Edmonton) - Today, the Edmonton Eskimos, in partnership with the adidas Group, donated 300 pairs of shoes to the Edmonton Women's Shelter. The donation provides enough footwear to allow the women and children the shelter serves over the next year to focus on self-healing and not worry about basic necessities.

"It is terrible, indeed, when people have to run out of their own home with only the clothes on their backs," says Eskimo President and CEO Len Rhodes. "This initiative is possible through the collaboration and partnership of my former employer, the adidas Group. Together, we are taking action in leading change against domestic abuse and violence against women."

The Edmonton Women ' s Shelter, commonly known as WIN House, is a non-profit agency operating two shelters. The WIN Houses are open 24-hours-a-day, 365 days-a-year for women with or without children escaping situations of abuse and violence.

This marks the third annual donation to the shelter from the Eskimos and the adidas Group. To date, nearly 1,000 shoes have been provided.

"It was very generous of the Edmonton Eskimos to once again deliver hundreds of pairs of new shoes to Edmonton Women's Shelter this fall. The shoes are a great gift for women and children fleeing domestic violence, in that they help meet one of many basic needs families have when starting abuse-free lives. Women and children often come to our emergency shelters with absolutely nothing and little to no income. Putting shoes on their children's feet, especially with winter around the corner, is now one less thing for moms to worry about. We are extremely grateful for the donation," says Edmonton Women's Shelter Executive Director Tess Gordey.

Today's donation is ahead of November's Family Violence Prevention Month. In further support of ending family violence, the Edmonton Eskimos previously announced a partnership with the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters for the Leading Change program. Through the program, select Eskimo players underwent three days of intensive training in gender-based violence preventio n and will present the messages to young athletes, students and coaches at community events.

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