One Day Without Shoes



Today was Tom's Shoes One Day Without Shoes Campaign.  Since I am a supporter of Compassion International and they are partners with Tom's in their efforts, I decided to try to participate!  Tom's, in case you weren't aware, is a shoe company founded on a mission...their mission is to put shoes on impoverished children all over the world.  For every pair of shoes they sell (to people like me) they are able to donate a pair.  Since Compassion goes all over the world to serve the needs of children, (like my sponsored child, Sammy, in the Philipines) they make a perfect team! 

TOMS has committed to donating 33,000 shoes to our program beneficiaries in Ethiopia and the Philippines – shoes the children can wear even with their school uniforms.

Why Shoes?

Many children in developing countries grow up barefoot. Whether at play, doing chores or going to school, these children are at risk:

-A leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases, which can penetrate the skin through bare feet. Wearing shoes can help prevent these diseases and the long-term physical and cognitive harm they cause.-Wearing shoes also prevents feet from getting cuts and sores. Not only are these injuries painful, they also are dangerous when wounds become infected.
-Many times children can’t attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don’t have shoes, they don’t go to school. If they don’t receive an education, they don’t have the opportunity to realize their potential.

So, in honor of kids like Sammy, and in hopes to raise awareness, I took on my day...shoeless! I took a walk around my house and went out with my mom to her friend's house barefoot. We didn't make it out to all the places I hoped that we would get to venture and she made me put on my Tom's before I got out of the car to go have some dinner at Pizza Hut! (she said it was unsanitary) Maybe next year I will be more prepared, but here is my pictoral documentary of my day!


Good Morning, Kitty Cat!



Ready for some breakfast?




Headed up to the workshop to tell Dad about my challenge.

 

Stepping into the backyard garden.



The only thing growing right now is the clover!
It was covered in misty rain droplets.




Venturing out...

 

...onto the gravel.  This is not feeling too good!



Tiptoe through the tulips

 

A few of the daffodils are peaking through this bush.




I made a dandilion toe ring!




Took a break to kick back and lean on a tree




The moss felt soooo good...it was soft and gushy under my toes!



I decided this looked like a better path than the gravel one!



Headed out and about in the car

 

The day is done...I love my Toms!





 I hope this makes you take some time to think about how you can help others out in some way.  Check out Compassion International for more info on sponsoring a child...maybe buy a pair of Tom's to help put a pair of shoes on needy feet!  Maybe you can start your own movement!