March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

3 Maine companies giving shoes to Kurdish refugees

FREEPORT — Three Maine companies participating in Project Tired Feet have donated 2,900 pairs of shoes to Kurdish refugees in the Middle East.

L.L. Bean of Freeport, Dexter Shoe of Dexter and Olympia Sports of Yarmouth may donate more shoes until the Kurdish exodus from Iraq is complete, said Reza Jalali, founder of the Maine Kurdish Relief Fund’s project.

With help from Sens. William S. Cohen and George J. Mitchell and U.S. Rep. Thomas Andrews, arrangements were made last week to ship the shoes, sneakers and boots from Portland on Aug. 8. The shipment is being kept in a warehouse in Freeport, Jalali said.

Jalali said he came up with the idea to send shoes after seeing refugees on the TV news walking across rugged terrain in Iraq with little or no footwear. “It was awful,” he said.

Project organizers hope to continue their work with the Maine congressional delegation to reach a permanent solution to the plight of the Kurds.


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