Celebrities Give Their Soles To Foster Care Centre

The first “Foster Soles” online charity auction took place last month to support Hillsides, a Los Angeles foster care and treatment centre.

Foster Soles collected the shoes of dozens of big names, such as Denzel Washington, Elton John, Jake Gyllenhaal and Nicolas Cage, who autographed their footwear before putting them up on the block.

Proceeds of the auction will be used by Hillsides for their programs and in public awareness. Once an orphanage, it is now a private, non-profit centre providing abused children with a safe refuge and advocating for their rights. Hillsides’ website says, “Although [the children] come from all over Southern California and encompass every ethnic and socioeconomic group, they share a common experience – the emotional scars that result from child abuse. With counselling and mental health treatment, children at Hillsides learn that they are not alone, that they are safe and cared for. Six programs constitute the framework for Hillsides treatment services – Residential Treatment, the Education Center, the Family Center and Advocacy.”

The Foster Soles auction kicked off with a festive party where the bidding began and then continued on line through most of May. Billy Joel, Billy Zane, Carmen Electra, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jack Johnson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kelly Slater, Marlee Matlin, Monique Coleman, Rachel Hunter, Rod Stewart and Shia LaBeouf were also among the celebrities that donated to their soles to the cause.