Today I’m joining TOMS for One Day Without Shoes, the annual day when they kick off their shoes to raise global awareness for children’s health and education. Being a fan of TOMS since the early days, I was thrilled when TOMS reached out to me to help spread awareness of this amazing campaign. In case you didn’t know, for every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS gives a pair of shoes to a child in need. Since 2006, they have given away over 10 million pairs of shoes! Today their efforts also help in supporting eye care, as well as clean drinking water.
Now for a short lesson — did you know that:
- Shoes help protect from cuts, diseases, and soil-based infections like hookworm, which affects 740 million people worldwide.
- Providing shoes for school uniforms can increase children’s school attendance up to 62%.
- When shoes are integrated into programs with larger community development goals, they empower children and their families to get the care and support they need.
So today I’m going without shoes and hope you will join me! Don’t forget to post a photo and hashtag it #withoutshoes to socially take part in this day that strives to bring light to the idea that a pair of shoes fits in to a much bigger, global picture.
For more information, check out the One Day Without Shoes website!
-Chelsea xo