I recently went on a Shoe Drop to South Africa and my eyes were opened to the impact that a pair of shoes makes on a child’s life.  I will never forget the day we arrived at a school where the HIV rate was close to 50% amongst the 1,000 children that attended the school. Many of these kids had absolutely nothing.  When we first arrived we unloaded all of the shoes from the truck and prepared to give the kids a pair of new shoes.

As the kids began flooding in, we started to give shoes to each individual child. You could hear their laughter and excitement as the kids were amazed by their new gifts.  There was one child that walked up to me, and looking down upon his feet, I was paralyzed by what I saw. They were covered in cuts, bruises, blisters, and warts.  As I sat there on my knees I looked up at his face and saw the excitement in his eyes.  As I reached with hand outstretched and as he came in for the most epic high five of my life, I said LETS DO THIS!

Trying to find the proper shoe to fit his foot was filled with the same joy you might experience when searching for the perfect gift for a loved one. We tried size 42, too big. Size 40 seemed too small, it had to be the 41. I said to him, “THIS IS IT!” His face lit up with joy in anticipation of his new gift. VICTORY!!! We found the right one. He then seemed as though he didn’t know what to do next…  “Should I run first, should I jump, go kick the soccer ball??….”

I cannot begin to explain the feeling of joy I felt with what happened next.  He turned to walk away, but then turned back and jumped into my arms, calling me his “dear friend.”  It was in that moment I realized that literally every pair makes a difference.  Every pair that is given truly makes an impact as there are now thousands of children who have experienced that same anticipation, joy, and excitement that I witnessed with that child in South Africa.

Although those moments have passed and I’ve been back at HQ for months now, those experiences are fueling a big project that will launch this weekend. Details to come soon, but know that every single child who receives a pair of shoes has a story like this one. And every single person who purchases a pair initiated that story… whether it’s 1 of 100, 1 of 1,000 or 1 of 10,000- each 1 has an impact.

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New Orleans though, was the perfect opportunity for me to see the ultimate result of my work. It was an incredible experience in that respect. To put shoes on the feet of children and know that the little things that I do, combined with the little things the team back at HQ do, can have such a undeniably profound effect on so many individuals and even an entire city or region.

The schools we visited were amazing. As inspiring as the TOMS movement is, the individuals that facilitated our drops – the teachers and administrators who worked at the New Orleans schools – were equal heroes in my mind. They welcomed us into their schools with open arms, and it was quickly evident that they are working toward many of the same goals we have at TOMS. They are trying to impact as many people as possible in a positive way. It was inspiring to see people devote their time and energy to creating a culture of learning that is undeniably going to help so many children do amazing things in the future.

One child told me that he had seen the AT&T commercial and wanted to go to a different country to help Blake. I was floored to learn firsthand, just how far-reaching our message has become and realized that we could very well be putting shoes on the feet of future Chief Shoe Givers. And why stop at Chief Shoe Giver? One student told me that he put an American flag on his shoes because he planned on being the President of the United States.These teachers are really doing everything they can to make these kinds of goals a reality, equipping these children with everything they need to succeed, despite not having the opportunities or resources that other schools in the country might have.

I was amazed at the sheer quantity of shoes that we were going through at times, and I realized why we work so hard at HQ to promote our products and our movement. Because of the generosity of TOMS supporters, we were able to not just help out some children at these schools, but all of them. It felt great to really do a job right and leave knowing that you touched every student in at least a small way. I will never forget my experience, and the spirit of New Orleans and its people will have a lasting impact on all the work I do for TOMS in the future. This is a city that may need help, but it is also a city filled with people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and commit to making it a better New Orleans every day. I’m lucky to have been a small part of that.

Shamus Eaton
Editorial Assistant – Creative Department – TOMS Shoes HQ

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Its refreshing to get outdoors with a group of kids, run around and play football and basketball, fit them into a fresh new pair of TOMS and just let all worries melt away. As soon as you’re there, it doesn’t matter how old or young you are, what you own or what you don’t… you get a chance to simply enjoy good company and a positive environment. Every Shoe Drop is special like that.

These kids were incredibly gracious, and we all really appreciate the school’s hospitality. They brought us booklets filled with thank you notes the students had created themselves which we’ll take back to HQ and share with our staff.

I’m incredibly impressed with the KIPP school program, one that challenges students with an intense curriculum. These students are not limited by their culture, their financial situation, or upbringing- they have equal accessible opportunities that steer them towards success. The progressive academic environment is reflected in these quotes and phrases all over the school… I’m thinking of putting up similar signs up at TOMS to remind us to follow wisdom that is really relevant at any age and at every organization.

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