Maura Frignito, BSN, a nurse in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) at Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital, spends most of her days caring for patients recovering from surgery. Outside of work, she’s a mother of four boys, and recently, the driving force behind a sneaker recycling effort that’s making a difference both inside and outside of the hospital.
The effort began when one of her son’s seventh-grade classes at St. Simon and Jude partnered with GotSneakers to collect used sneakers and raise funds for their class, while learning about service and sustainability. To help her son’s class, Frignito offered to place collection bins and informational flyers in locker rooms near the operating rooms and PACU areas at the hospital.
What started as a simple request to promote this fundraiser soon grew into something more meaningful. Within months, the donation boxes were overflowing with shoes, each pair representing a step away from landfill waste. In addition to collecting the shoes, Frignito took the time to educate her colleagues on the importance of recycling, as most discarded sneakers can take 30 to 40 years to break down. But through GotSneakers, donated pairs are recycled or upcycled, getting a new purpose instead of becoming landfill waste.
Behind the scenes, Frignito kept the effort running. She gathered the overflowing boxes, transported them home for storage in her garage, and packaged each pair for pickup.
This initiative hit close to home for Frignito since it connects personal, local action to a broader global impact. “By collecting and repurposing sneakers, we’re helping reduce environmental harm while teaching kids the power of collaboration,” said Frignitio. “It’s a small but powerful way to improve the world, one sneaker at a time.”
Her efforts are a reminder that meaningful change often begins close to home. With millions of shoes and other items discarded each year and lingering in landfills for decades, her work challenges us to pause, rethink our habits, and consider how small choices, like reusing instead of discarding, can add up to a healthier planet.
Learn more about Chester County Hospital: Founded in 1892 as the county’s first hospital, the non-profit has grown into a 329-bed inpatient facility in West Chester. It also has outpatient services in Exton, West Goshen, New Garden, and Kennett Square.
