Old tires make new sandals, new jobs

By KAM MOORE
Capital News Service
LANSING — A collaboration between a 131-year old nonprofit group and University of Michigan students may result in a recycled product that employs Detroit’s homeless. During the Great Depression, members of Cass Community Social Services served hot meals to families in need. More recently, the organization teamed with U of M students to design a product that’s easy to make from recyclable materials. The result: Treads Motor City Sandals, a small business that could employ and support its customers and the jobless in the city. Using old tires and recyclable materials, future employees will follow the method developed by the design students to produce the sandals.