Canadian Olympian gives used running shoes another life through non-profit project

Canadian Olympian Julie-Anne Staehli is one of several people behind The ReRun Shoe Project, a not-for-profit organization that gives used running shoes another life.

The project sees shoes that would otherwise be thrown away redistributed to under-resourced youth to remove barriers to a more active lifestyle.  

The ReRun Shoe Project is in five Canadian cities, and has collected close to 6,000 pairs of shoes.

"This is not a new concept," said Staehli, co-founder of the ReRun Shoe Project. "It's just a great way to be able to collectively share this mission in terms of giving shoes another life, to improve the lives of others."

Staehli competes in the 5,000 and 1,500 metre races, and says the first pair of cleats she used in school were donated. The project serves as a way for her to pay it forward.

"Thinking about my growth throughout running, and being able to compete at the Olympic level, this has just been my journey," she said.

"It's a small way for me to be able to give back to the sport that I love."

OLY Canada Legacy Grant recipients

The ReRun Project was one of 15 Olympian-led projects to receive the  OLY Canada Legacy Grant in 2024.

"I'm really excited to be able to put those funds to use and be able to continue the project," Staehli said.

Claudia Belanger is the project's Calgary branch leader.

Belanger used to run with Staehli at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., and says that's where the ReRun Shoe Project began in 2016.

"We donate to the Mustard Seed, we give tons of shoes every time we get donations from various stores," she said. "We also partner with the Boys and Girls Club Foothills and the shoes actually go out to various schools in the rural communities."

A pair of running shoes is the only thing needed to run, jog or walk, something Belanger says can change a young person's life.

"A lot of these children haven't even been exposed to running shoes at all or the running community.

"It's just a great way to build physical literacy amongst them and also expose them to the sport."

Belanger believes she's collected close to 700 pairs at the project's three Calgary drop-off locations.

"I keep getting calls and emails from Strides (Running Store) saying our bin is full again.

"Every time I go, we have massive garbage bags of shoes so it's amazing."

'Going to a good home'

Katie Delaney works at Strides and is a runner herself. She says she has close to a dozen pairs of shoes in her closet.

"I have a rotation of shoes, shoes have different purposes," she said. "I trail run, road run, I race so I can justify them, in many ways, but as they're nearing the end of the life, I always like to know they're going to a good home."

Delaney says she hears from customers that sometimes their shoes don't feel good on a run, and when they can't return them to the store, they just end up holding onto them and putting them on a shelf.

"Often, people have one, two, three, four or more shoes on the go," she said. "Some will be relegated to gardening shoes, but some, they just know they can be used by people who need them, because they can still have some life in them."

Staehli is living in Boston and will know by July 1 if she's qualified to represent Canada for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

While while being focused on training, she's also excited at the growth of the ReRun Shoe Project.