Our Movement
We're in business to help change lives.
It's a big job, and we don't do it alone. With our customers and Giving Partners, we're transforming everyday purchases into a force for good around the world. One for One.®
When you buy a pair of TOMS Shoes, you're also helping improve the health, education and well-being of a child.
On their own, shoes have a limited ability to change a life. But when combined with programs run by our Giving Partners, they can become a powerful tool in helping create opportunities for a better future.
Health
Shoes help protect children's feet from cuts, infections and diseases. When children are healthy, they can attend school, fight minor illnesses and grow up to reach their potential.Education
Shoes are often required for school attendance in many countries. Providing uniforms, including shoes, increases school attendance as much as 62%.* Education is the key to mobility and vital to breaking the poverty cycle.Confidence
Although it's less measurable, our Giving Partners consistently tell us how new shoes instill confidence in children. Confident kids are more likely to stay in school and contribute to their communities.
*Source: "The Impact of Distributing School Uniforms on Children's Education in Kenya," by David Evans et al, 2009
We work with more than 75 Shoe Giving Partners who have ongoing programs to help kids, families and communities around the world.
Shoe giving is integrated into our partners' everyday work such as: health checkups; distribution of medicine and vaccines; microfinance programs; youth leadership programs; school support; and vocational training for older teens.
But before we give, we listen to our partners; they're the experts on the ground. Then together we develop a strategy that supports their goals and respects the cultures in which they work.
Step by Step: How does giving work? Next
Make
Everything starts with your purchase. Once shoes are bought, we collaborate with our long-term Giving Partners to distribute the same number of pairs as our customers buy.
a MatchCustomize
Our Giving Department works with Giving Partners to place orders for the right sizes, quantities and types of shoes, providing logistical support and first-rate customer service.
the OrderDeliver &
We send new pairs to our Giving Partners, who place the shoes directly on children's feet — as part of their broader programs to help kids and communities.
DistributePick Up
Giving shouldn't come with hidden costs, so we help cover expenses to transport and distribute the shoes, including freight, vehicle rental and even delivery by donkey.
the TabReview &
We're always learning. We assess the impact of our giving, through partner feedback, site visits and commissioned field studies. Then we adapt, to make it more effective.
ImproveRepeat
We're committed to providing shoes to children as they grow, working with our partners to provide new shoes as needed, sometimes as often as every six months.
Our Giving Pairs are new shoes, made for school and play. We provide a range of sizes, to fit kids from toddlers to teens. And we also collect feedback on the fit, durability and comfort of the shoes, so we can continue to improve our current selection and develop new shoe styles.
These are the shoes we currently give, and we're developing more.
Black Canvas
This unisex, slip-on with a sturdy sole is given in more than 50 countries.
In Argentina, we give canvas shoes in a variety of colors and patterns to keep with the local tradition.
We designed these heavy-duty boots to keep kids' feet warm and dry in cold climates and give them in the United States, Eastern Europe and Central America.
We currently give shoes in more than 50 countries. Where we give is driven by the needs our Giving Partners see on the ground. We work closely with them to add new communities and countries where shoes will have the greatest impact.
- Where We Give Shoes
- Where Shoes Are Made
In Haiti, a major health issue is hookworm, which can cause intestinal pain, weakness and cognitive impairment. Giving Partner IMA World Health added TOMS Shoes to their prevention strategy in 2011.
"We have seen the combination of the disease-fighting drugs and new shoes packing a one-two punch against Neglected Tropical Disease for children ... Shoes act as a simple barrier, providing an extra layer of protection against soil-transmitted infections. They are a wonderful complement to the medication being distributed through our program."
— Rick Santos, President & CEO of IMA World Health
Partners in Health (PIH) shares with us how shoes are improving kids' health in southern Malawi:
"For the first time, PIH will be able to reach every child in Neno district. Through TOMS Shoe distributions we have an unprecedented opportunity to improve the delivery of health care to tens of thousands of children living in some of the hardest-to-reach areas of the country.Through our partnership with TOMS we have the privilege of not only distributing new shoes at every school in Neno district, but also implementing important health interventions to combat malnutrion."
In Peru, we work with Giving Partner Buckner International to make a difference in children's lives.
In El Salvador, Giving Partner Save the Children distributes TOMS Shoes to add value to their community programs, including childhood development, education, health and nutrition.
Save the Children trains "brigadiers," community leaders as young as 11, to help educate the community on good health and hygiene. These volunteers are also a big help in organizing shoe distributions in schools. Save the Children describes volunteers as the engine of the community: "In the end, the volunteers, leaders and community members willing to participate are the ones who are actually making the changes in the community."
Where we give shoes:
- Albania
- Dominican Republic
- Honduras
- Moldova
- South Africa
- Angola
- DR Congo
- India
- Nicaragua
- Sri Lanka
- Argentina
- El Salvador
- Iraq
- Niger
- Sudan
- Armenia
- Ethiopia
- Jamaica
- Pakistan
- Swaziland
- Azerbaijan
- Gambia
- Kenya
- Panama
- Tajikistan
- Bangladesh
- Gaza (Occupied
- Kyrgyzstan
- Paraguay
- Tanzania
- Belarus
- Palestinian Territory)
- Lebanon
- Peru
- Uganda
- Belize
- Georgia
- Lesotho
- Philippines
- Ukraine
- Cambodia
- Ghana
- Liberia
- Romania
- United States of America
- Chad
- Guatemala
- Malawi
- Rwanda
- Uzbekistan
- China
- Guyana
- Mali
- Senegal
- Zambia
- Costa Rica
- Haiti
- Mexico
- Sierra Leone
When you buy TOMS Eyewear, you're helping restore sight — which in turn restores independence, economic potential and educational opportunity.
The scope of visual impairment worldwide is staggering. But the effectiveness of treatment is quite encouraging.
Big Numbers
285 million individuals are blind or visually impaired. But 80% of those cases can be corrected or prevented with available eye care.*Simple Solutions
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide but can be cured with a 15-minute surgery. Prescription eyewear can correct visual impairment, and medical treatment can treat eye injuries and infections.Lasting Results
As sight is restored to individuals, they can return to school or work. Adults can contribute financially to the household and no longer require extra care. Additionally, patients become advocates, helping neighbors find eye care.
*Source: Vision 2020
One pair of TOMS glasses = Sight for one person
- How?
- Prescription Glasses
- Sight-saving surgery
- Medical treatment
We're committed to investing in sustainable eye care for the long term. With the help of Seva Foundation, our lead Sight Giving Partner, we support locally based organizations that train local residents to provide professional care. So it's not just an investment in the clinics and hospitals; it's an investment in the people who work in them.
Step by Step: How does giving work? Next
Make a Match
When a customer buys a pair of TOMS Eyewear, we provide Giving Partners with funding to restore or save the sight of one individual.Diagnose
Not every eye issue is the same, so individuals are evaluated at local eye clinics and hospitals or through outreach programs with professional staff.
the PersonTreat
An eye-care professional then provides the proper treatment, which may include: prescription glasses; medical treatment for injuries or infections; or sight-saving surgery for cataracts and other conditions such as trachoma, pterygium and glaucoma.
the IssuePair Up
We support eye-care organizations pursuing a self-sustaining business model. We collect feedback on our giving and continue to improve our support to help them achieve their long-term goals.
for Good
Approximately 90% of people who are blind or visually impaired live in developing countries. With our Giving Partners, we currently help restore sight in 12 of these countries as well as in the United States.
We also currently give in:
- Bangladesh
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- India
- Pakistan
- Paraguay
- Tibet
- Tanzania
- Uganda
Sight Giving Partner Seva Cambodia supports one-fourth of all eye exams in the country. Seva has helped train four of the country's 17 ophthalmologists. Watch video
Visualiza, our Sight Giving Partner in Guatemala, subsidizes treatment for patients who can't afford care with funds from paying patients and support from organizations like TOMS. Watch video
Outreach programs are important for Seva Nepal. The organization runs mobile eye camps that bring eye care to individuals in remote regions. Watch video
Working with Helen Keller International's ChildSight®, we help provide new prescription glasses to schoolchildren in underserved rural and urban areas. Watch video
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Notes From the Field
Meet our Giving Partners and those they serve
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Get the Giving Facts
Quick answers to common questions
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More Ways to Get Involved
Events, Campus Programs, community resources
We Give Shoes in More Than
50
Countries
We help restore sight in
13
Countries
We're Guided by
Simple Mission.
With every product you purchase, TOMS will help a person in need. One for One.®
By clicking on "shoes" or "sight" above, we can take you through our giving process. Or read our updated Giving Report.
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