April 8, 2010 - Tom's Shoes 3rd Annual
"One Day Without Shoes."
One Day Without Shoes is the day we spread awareness about the impact a simple pair of shoes can have on a child’s life. On April 8th, we ask people to go the day, part of the day or even just a few minutes, barefoot, to experience a life without shoes first-hand, and inspire others at the same time.
It’s Hard Without Shoes
Through everyday encounters with domestic poverty, we are reminded to appreciate having food and shelter, but most of us all but forget about our feet. Food, shelter, AND shoes facilitate life’s fundamentals. Imagine a life without shoes; constantly aware of the ground in front of you, suffering regular cuts and scrapes, tending to infection after each walk, and enduring not only terrain, but heat and cold.
The problem is large, but the solution is simple. Wearing shoes and practicing basic hygiene can prevent both infection and disease due to unsafe roads and contaminated soil. By imagining a life barefoot, we can all contribute to the awareness of these conditions. On April 8th, communities, campuses, organizations, and individuals are banding together to walk barefoot for One Day Without Shoes.
Facts:
-In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to school, clean water and to seek medical help.
-Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.
-Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.
-In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
-Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes.
Click here to find an event near you. There are over 1200 events listed.
Can't go barefoot? Click here for ways you can help while keeping your shoes on.
This movement started by the vision of one young person...
In 2006 an 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, 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 caring TOMS customers.
Since our beginning in May 2006, TOMS has given over 400,000 pairs of shoes to children in need, through the purchases of caring customers.
Resources: One Day Without Shoes
Tom's Shoes
Related Links: http://www.toms.com/
http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/
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