Kory's Blog Supporting TOMS

One Pair Covers Four Feet

November 14,2011--One for one. What does it mean to you? For a child living day to day with no shoes, it means a chance to lead a healthy and less hazardous life. For every one pair of Toms purchased, a new pair of Toms canvas shoes will be given to a child in need.

Based in Santa Monica, California, the Toms Company was founded by Blake Mycoskie in 2006. After visiting Argentina, Blake started a business rather than a charity in hopes to improve footwear for children with no shoes that can be vulnerable to disfiguring diseases like Podoconiosis. This disease is caused by walking or working barefoot in silica-heavy volcanic soil, a common practice in rural farming regions of developing countries. This creates a large public health problem in at least ten countries in tropical Africa, Central America and northern India.

In 2006, Toms distributed 10,000 pairs of canvas shoes to children in Argentina. 2007, they hit a mark of 50,000 shoes for South Africa. Later in 2007, Toms Shoes received the People’s Design Award and was recognized as a successful model for entrepreneurship. In 2009 the second Vagabond tour, sponsored by Dave Matthews, was launched to reach campuses across the United States. In 2010 Toms finally reached 1 million pairs of donated shoes. April 2011, Toms Celebrated its 4^th Annual “One Day Without Shoes.” Over 250,000 supporters joined in with Toms and took the challenge of having to go without shoes for one day. [i]

Within the past five years, Toms shoes has expanded and popularized so much that now there are all kinds of companies giving back to communities in need by utilizing profits for growing their businesses and helping those that need it most; providing shoes, water, glasses and more. For individual support, Toms has created numerous ways to become a part of the change. For the month of November, Toms has become the national Sponsor for Movember, National Men’s Health Month. With some of the best ideas and passion coming from the youngest minds, Toms has created Campus Clubs that allow young adults to make a change on their campus and amplify the message of conscious consumerism.

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