TOMS Shoes One For One

TOMS: GIVING BACK, ONE FOR ONE About TOMS Shoes 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 Shoes. TOMS MATCHES EVERY PAIR OF SHOES ONE for ONE PURCHASED WITH A PAIR OF NEW SHOES GIVEN TO A CHILD IN NEED. Why Shoes? Growing up barefoot In many developing countries, children must Walking long-distance to clean water walk barefoot for miles to school, clean water and medical help. Often living conditions include: Subsistence farming Families living on less than $1/day Dangerous terrain Injury and disease Hundreds of millions of children are HOOKWORM: Causes anemia, stunted physical and mentaldevelopment, and on occasion, congestive heart failure. Affects up to 1/5th of world population. at risk of injury, infection and soil- transmitted diseases that most can't afford to prevent and treat. "In Africa, there is a desperate PODOCONIOSIS: Causes swelling of the feet and legs due to prolonged need for footwear that will exposure to certain types of irritant soil. protect from highly prevalent neglected tropical diseases JIGGERS : Causes severe itching and hives from bites from small transmitted through the soil." mite-like organisms around the feet and ankles. -Dr. Peter Hotez, MD, PHD TETANUS: Potentially fatal infectious disease caused by bacteria entering the body through cuts or open wounds. Causes painful muscle spasms and locked jaw. Distinguished professor at George Washington University (And these are just a few...) Education and opportunity Children who are healthy are more likely to be successful students, and access to education is a critical determinant of long-term success. "People are condemned to being servants and other low professions, because they simply don't have the hard drive to perform at the same level. And it all starts with them not having shoes." -Dr. Adan Rios Associate Professor of Internal Medicine UT Medical School, Houston Many schools require shoes Owning shoes tends to increase attendance How does "ONE for ONE" work? STEP1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Establish Partnerships Identify communities Provide students with with humanitarian that could most shoes, alongside health benefit from shoe giving program. organizations worldwide and educational programs, and insure that the children are now placed in a school close to their home. Timeline of Shoe Donation 2006 10,000 - 1,000 pairs of shoes pairs of shoes to Argentine children 1,000 pairs of shoes 2007 50,000 pairs of shoes to children in South Africa SOUTH AFRICA Over 140,000 = 1,000 pairs of shoes 2009 pairs of shoes donated to children in countries including Argentina, Ethiopia, South Africa, and the United States UNITED STATES ETHIOPIA ARGENTINA SOUTH AFRICA 2010 Over 600, 000 pairs of shoes given to children around the globe. APRIL - 1,000 pairs of shoes 2010 Over 1,000,000 pairs of shoes to impoverished children. SEPT New Glasses Program Blindness and visual impairment is a solvable crisis In fact, available solutions, including medical treatment, prescription eyeglasses or a 15 minute cataract surgery, could impact BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT 80% of people afflicted with vision impairment and blindness. 7TH In most cases it can be prevented or treated. %! largest health disability in 80% OF THESE ARE CURABLE the world Sight means education and opportunity Children who have trouble seeing are often unable to go to or succeed in school, and have fewer chances to achieve a productive "More than 18 million children around the world suffer from and successful life. blindness or impaired vision." Women have an equal right to sight Two-thirds of people who are blind are women, in part because many families in developing countries are more likely to pay for eye care for male family members. 2/3 OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND ARE WOMEN By providing easy to access local eye care, we can help more women and girls around the world get sight saving and restoring services. There is an immediate impact Many of the solutions to blindness and visual impairment can be immediate. If it's a pair of eyeglasses or medical treatment that's needed, patients are treated on the spot. Those needing eye surgery are referred immediately so their vision can be restored within just a few days. TOMS additional efforts to give back TOMS forms alliances Autism United Autism United, an organization dedicated to creating autism awareness worldwide, is one of these organizations. with organizations across the world, so customers provide more By purchasing a pair of TOMS through Autism United, buyers are able to take part in the autism awareness efforts, as well as place a pair of shoes on a child in a developing country. than just a pair of shoes with each purchase. IF WE JOIN TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! AUTISMUNITED .ORG Get a pair of TOMS shoes today, and help us give back :) Sources: http://www.toms.com/ http://www.autismunited.org/ http://edition.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/09/26/mycoskie.profile/ ARGENTINA