With a shop already overflowing with boots and shoes waiting to be repaired, Darrell Hynes of The Honest Cobbler in St. John’s, N.L., still found room in his day—and in his heart—to take on one more task: helping people who desperately need proper footwear.

The idea for the campaign began when a woman walked into the shop with a pair of badly damaged boots, hoping they could be repaired.

“I couldn’t fix them,” Darrell says. “What haunted me was knowing they were the only boots she owned.”

When Darrell posted the need for footwear on social media, the response was overwhelming, with donations arriving at his shop within hours.“

Within one week, the post went viral,” Darrell says. “So many outlets picked up the story that I was suddenly being interviewed all the time.”

Darrell opened his shop in 2020, working alongside his daughter and business manager, Darra. Since then, the pair have prepared more than 13,000 shoe tags—each one representing a pair of boots or shoes repaired or restored.

Making a Difference

The “Give Winter a Boot” campaign was born from that modest appeal. Before long, donated footwear was pouring into the shop, filling every corner with boots and shoes, reflecting the generosity of people who wanted to help.

“Boots are donated from a variety of sources,” Darrell says. “We have received donations from people across Newfoundland and Labrador who have heard about the campaign.”

Darra has been instrumental in organizing the steady stream of donated footwear, and she’s quick to give her father credit for the kindness that started it all.

“Dad came up with the name, and he created the logo,” she says, smiling. “This whole campaign began out of compassion for that one lady who could not afford a pair of boots.”

Companies have also contributed to the campaign. Supplier sdonate fitted boots that could not be sold. Other retail companies donate “like new” boots that could not be returned to the manufacturers. Darra has been in conversations with social services as well as city councillors filling requests for clients.

“I often receive calls from them asking for work boots for people who need them to start a job,” Darra says. “So, these new boots truly make a difference.”

Remarkable Journey

As the campaign grew, volunteers came forward, increasing the resources available to keep it going. Local business owner Natalie Tibbo of Kalon Beauty and Glow, along with a couple of her employees who work in the same building as The Honest Cobbler, stepped in to help.

They have volunteered countless hours sorting and packing donations, turning what began as a small effort into a well-organized operation. Each time new footwear arrives, it’s carefully sorted, paired and packed into boxes, ready to be delivered.

“Most of the footwear is sent out to nonprofit organizations,” Darrell says. “In addition to the local requests we receive, we also ship boxes of donated boots and shoes to The Gathering Place, The Kindness Closet and The Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope.”

Carolyn Reid, executive director of The Salvation Army’s St. John’s Housing and Community Services, sees first-hand the impact donated footwear has on the people they serve.

“Many of the individuals who come to the Centre of Hope for a hot meal, or who arrive at the Wiseman Centre seeking shelter, have shoes that are worn out, or simply unsuitable for the weather,” she explains. “It’s not uncommon for someone to approach staff and ask if we have any boots or shoes available. A gentleman came in for a meal one day wearing plastic bags inside his sneakers just to keep them dry. To be able to provide a good pair of boots for this gentleman was so rewarding!”

Since the campaign first began—and after that initial wave of media attention—there has never been another formal call for donations.

“We haven’t advertised in two years,” Darrell says. “We just haven’t needed to. If I put out another media post, we’d be absolutely bombarded with donations.”

It’s inspiring to see the community’s needs being met, and even more encouraging to know that there are resources available to support that work. With these tools in place, Darrell’s business and the volunteers are empowered to keep up with the growing demand and make an even greater impact.

“We are deeply grateful to partners like The Honest Cobbler, whose generosity allows us to offer hope—one pair of shoes at a time,” Carolyn says.

The campaign has grown quickly, meeting the needs of people from all walks of life, and the kindness behind it hasn’t slowed.

“We’ve heard from so many people who’ve cleaned out their closets just to donate footwear to this campaign,” Darrell says. “Some families have even donated shoes from loved ones who have passed on.

“It’s been a remarkable journey, and Darra and I are truly grateful to be part of it.”

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