About Haiti Shoe Man
Wayne Elsey: Global Philanthropist and Haiti Shoe Man
Who Is Wayne Elsey?
Wayne’s story begins with humble beginnings. But, when he was only 15 years old, he started a job working at a shoe store in the U.S. And, it was there that Wayne found his passion. In other words, he knew he would be in the shoe business for the rest of his life. He’s been doing it for nearly 40 years. Also, Wayne has served as the president of two international shoe manufacturing companies. But after the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami his life took a turn.
After that natural disaster and seeing first-hand the devastation of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Wayne decided to turn his attention to helping people around the world. He especially cares about Haiti having witnessed the devastation. What he learned was that there was a lot of need in developing nations. However, people prefer to get an opportunity over charity. As a result, if people in countries such as Haiti could work, for them, it’s much better. And, it’s also better for the economy because business opportunities boost local commerce.
Global Social Enterprises Created by a Visionary
Wayne is a visionary. After his experience getting shoes to people affected by the 2004 tsunami, he founded a nonprofit. And he grew that from nothing to an organization with a budget above $70 million providing shoes to people in need. The former shoe salesman sharpened his focus and one of the leaders creating micro-businesses in Haiti. As a result, Wayne and his teams have provided millions of shoes over the years.
In April of 2012, Wayne founded Funds2Orgs. Today, it is the largest shoe drive fundraising company in the U.S. That’s how Wayne and his team collect the best high-quality shoes to sell in Haiti and other developing countries. And Wayne’s focus on quality has been relentless. Nothing but the best.
His other company, Credential Shoes, sold the shoes to hub operators and middle-persons for years. However, in 2020, because of the demand for shoes, he founded Haiti Shoe Man, which allows individuals and small business micro-entrepreneurs in Haiti to buy directly from the Haiti Shoe Man!