Toms Shoes

Guide Note

TOMS Shoes is a unique shoe company which promotes the ONE FOR ONE program. For every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS Shoes' donates a pair of shoes to a child without.

Fast Facts

1. Created by Blake Mycoskie in March 2006
2. Based in Los Angeles, California
3. Goal is to end poverty in third-world countries through fashion
4. Teamed with the group Hanson on The Walk Tour to fight poverty and AIDS in Africa
5. First Shoe Drop was in Argentina in 2006
6. Next Shoe Drop will be held in Ethiopia in 2008

TOMS shoes are sold online at the company's website, as well as at major retailers like Macy's and Urban Outfitters. The shoes come in a wide variety of colors and include sizes for men, women, and children.

Blake Mycoskie came up with the idea for TOMS shoes after visiting Argentina. There he saw the number of children living in poverty without shoes to wear on their feet. After selling 10,000 shoes, TOMS had their first "Shoe drop" in 2006, personally delivering shoes to people in Argentina. They had another shoe drop in 2007, bringing 50,000 shoes to children of Africa. TOMS will have another shoe drop in Ethiopia in 2008.