On Monday, August 5, 2024, Au Pair in America joined with international exchange participants and host communities across the United States to celebrate Exchange Day.
Founded in 2014 by the Alliance for International Exchange, this yearly celebration encourages us to share the power of cultural exchange, give back to our communities and have fun!
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”… but first, lace up those shoes!
It has become an annual Exchange Day tradition for Au Pair in America to challenge our host families and au pairs across the country to get in the community spirit by donating new or gently used shoes for Soles4Souls, and 2024 was no exception. Our goal has been to focus on what it might be like to walk in someone else’s shoes — a meaningful part of our cultural exchange programs.
Our Community Counselors nationwide collected hundreds of pairs of shoes to be donated to local people in need.
In addition to shoe collection efforts, Community Counselors also engaged their clusters in get-togethers, including summer ice cream socials, coffee shop chats, and park meet-ups.
Members of our team at our main office in Stamford, CT also got in on the fun, donating dozens of pairs of shoes to this great cause.
How do you celebrate the power of international exchange? What do exchange programs mean to you? Why do you feel they’re important? Leave us a comment or connect with us on social media to share your stories and be inspired by others!
