Several days ago my family and I were invited by the lovely Jessica Shyba of Mommas Gone City to take part in a #MOMSFORTOMS celebration. Just what is Toms you ask?
In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS customers.
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Why Shoes?
Many children in developing countries grow up barefoot. Whether at play, doing chores or going to school, these children are at risk:
•A leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases, which can penetrate the skin through bare feet. Wearing shoes can help prevent these diseases, and the long-term physical and cognitive harm they cause.
•Wearing shoes also prevents feet from getting cuts and sores. Not only are these injuries painful, they also are dangerous when wounds become infected.
•Many times children can’t attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don’t have shoes, they don’t go to school. If they don’t receive an education, they don’t have the opportunity to realize their potential.
So what does Toms do… they have created their ONE for ONE movement ; with every pair purchased Toms will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. ONE for ONE! And their humanitarian message and kindness has extended and grown in ways they never could have conceived of… with MOVEMENTS like their SHOE DROPS and on a smaller scale the Toms STYLE YOUR SOLE party hosted by my lovely friend Jessica Shyba where people come together to express themselves and help children in need by customizing their own blank, canvas TOMS.
Whether you are styling TOMS for a baby shower, with your sorority, with your youth group or for an event in your community, a Style Your Sole event is all about creativity 0- to find out how you can host your own party email them at StyleYourSole@TOMSshoes.com
Honestly there is no greater pleasure- or lessons we can impart to our kids, than instilling them with a love of charity- and the sense that yes- just ONE person can make all the difference in another person’s life- and there is NO better way to show them this idea in action than with TOMs ONE FOR ONE movement!
Get involved, not tomorrow- but TODAY you will be so glad you did! And did I mention these shoes are just UBER comfy too?!!
Melissa, I LOVE this, and I LOVE your family’s creativity- your kids are FABULOUS!! Thank you so much for coming!!