NATCHEZ — James and Paulette Delaney’s charitable effort HeartHidden Ministries embodies the old cliché, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

After just more than three years, the couple has collected nearly 70,000 pairs of shoes for impoverished peoples in 27 different countries.

“Every time you give us a shoe, that puts a shoe on a man’s foot or a child’s foot that has never had one,” James Delaney said.

After a brief stint at a new location, the Delaneys are now planning to move the collection point back to its original spot in the Trace Town Shopping Center parking lot behind McDonald’s.

Once approximately 100 bags of shoes are collected — with 25 pairs in each bag — HeartHidden Ministries delivers the collections to a group in Miami, which in turn handles the shipping of shoes to those in need.

But those who receive the shoes do far more than just slip them on their feet and call it a day, James Delaney said.

The recipients take the bags of shoes, repair and clean them, and finally sell them, turning what were outdated shoes for Miss-Lou residents into life-changing income.

“Now, they’ve got shoes on their feet, clothes on their back … they can send their children to school, all because people give us the shoes that they’re not even going to wear anymore,” he said.

James credits Paulette for the inception and success of the enterprise, and he said the two are far from done.

“We want to get over 100,000 (pairs),” he said “But we’re not going to quit then — then we’re going to go for 1 million,” he said.

Those wishing to donate gently worn used shoes are asked to drop off shoes in pairs and place them in a bag before dropping them off at the Trace Town location.