A while back I wrote an article for
Blog Critics about
ATT and their link with Toms Shoes. ATT created an ad in 2009 that featured the Toms Shoes mission and their connection to ATT phone services. The story was about how Toms Shoes gives away one pair of shoes to children in developing countries for every one purchased. The cause started by Blake Mycoskie has come to be known as the
One-for-One Movement. The TV ad run by ATT was where many people learned about the concept for the first time. In 2006 Toms had sold 10,000 shoes. By the end of 2010 they had sold their millionth pair. The rest is history.
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, 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. from Tom's Shoes Movement
I love Toms Shoes. I have worn a pair of these shoes for years. I bought them shortly after seeing the original ad in 2009. I still wear them when I am in Arizona. They are wash and wear. I don't know how long they would last but I have gotten my money back many times over...and a child somewhere is doing the same. As a grandmother that has seen children without shoes in third world countries I take a lot of satisfaction from that. I am well aware that disease and infection are a problem for children with no shoes. In fact, children are required to have shoes in order to attend school in many places. Shoes are important!
Now, it turns out, Toms has become very trendy with the teen set. My granddaughter came to visit last night. She will be 15 next month. My Toms shoes came up in the conversation immediately. It turns out that they are the
in thing at her high school now and all the girls on the dance team are buying them. Cool doesn't even come close to describing a pair of pink or sparkly Toms on the feet of a girl from the dance team walking down the halls at Glenco High School in
Hillsboro, Oregon.
My daughter mentioned that Sketchers have a knock off shoe that looks the same and you can buy them at Target for a lot less! I don't know if Sketchers is donating a pair of shoes to a child for every one they sell or not. I am thinking not. I was a little angry when I realized what they were doing. Wouldn't that be a bit like using a knock off for the Walk for the Cure to make money but not do any good? I will
not be buying them even if they are cheaper or even better. It really is just wrong in my world.
This is what I think...you need to go shopping with your granddaughter and you both need a pair of Toms. You will never regret it and it is the right thing to do!
b
Note: Toms are available on
Amazon
, Toms Shoes, and upper end retail stores.
Links:
Sketchers vs. Toms: How Sketcher shot themselves in the foot!
(my preference) or in the 
.
