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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After your first year at TOMS, you’re given the opportunity to see the One for One commitment come full circle. For many of us, the experience in South Africa was our first Shoe Drop.

Chapter 1: we prepare… and we go.

Stay tuned for Chapter 2: footage from our week of Shoe Drops in Durban and how the experience affected each of us.

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On a side note, this was the most difficult set to rank. How is one awesome Shoe Drop moment better than another awesome Shoe Drop moment? So please, take the ranking with a grain of salt. They’re all number 1’s in our book.

10. Argentina, April 2009: Have you ever seen a happier face?

9. South Africa, October 2009: Boys will be boys.

Photo credit: Marc Falkenstien

8. Argentina, January 2009: Chief Shoe Giver is a pro at hand placing TOMS.

7. South Africa, October 2009: a Zulu dancer gives his new TOMS the ultimate test.

Photo credit: Marc Falkenstien

6. New Orleans, April 2009: Ana Maria, who coordinates Shoe Drops for TOMS, shares a big smile with a student in New Orleans.

Photo credit: Cambria Harkey Photography

5. New Orleans, April 2009: New Orleans students jump high with their custom TOMS.

Photo credit: Cambria Harkey Photography

4. South Africa, October 2009: The proper way to conclude a Shoe Drop? PLAY!

3. New Orleans, August 2009: A TOMS intern makes new friends in NOLA.

Photo credit: Allie Dominguez

2. Ethiopia, October 2009: Whether you’re in the States or all the way in Africa, one thing remains: kids are silly!

Photo credit: Kwaku Alston

1. Beautiful girls in South Africa pose and show us how proud they are of their new TOMS in October 2009.

Photo credit: Marc Falkenstien

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10. Blake gets silly while encouraging Facebook users to support Friends of TOMS buy purchasing a special “TOMS Facebook Gift” in April.

9. At the TOMS Holiday karaoke party, he delivered a surprise performance as “Garth Brooks”.

8. Blake spoke at many college campuses, hoping to inspire and motivate a new generation of entreprenuers with the One for One story.

7. He let his competitive side show with Ping Pong challenges at the launch of TOMS in Neiman Marcus.

6. He traveled to South Africa in October to see the Element collab come full circle.

5. He represented TOMS at the NOLA Shoe Drop for Good Morning America.

Click on the image to visit ABC and watch the segment.

4. He gave a heartfelt speech when accepting the Award for Corporate Excellence.

Click on the image to visit Blake’s blog and read his speech.

3. Blake and TOMS were featured on CNBC’s The Entrepreneurs.

Watch the segment on the TOMS website: click here!

2. He became “that guy on that AT&T commercial”.

A still from the AT&T commercial that first aired in April.

1. When he returned from Ethiopia, he got us pumped about the work TOMS is doing there.

CLICK HERE to read Blake’s inspirational letter.

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The majority of our volunteer Shoe Drops have taken place there and I was fortunate to have been a part of one in March, 2008 with an amazing group of people. I called them our Guinea Pigs because it was the first Shoe Drop we had ever coordinated just for our TOMS supporters! Fortunately they were adventurous enough to take that title with pride and go with the flow of the week. We gave shoes to children that Blake and his friends and family had visited in 2006 and made some new friends who received their first pair of TOMS from us.

I remember learning at our first drop location in Misiones that the kids had cleaned up, combed their hair, and wore their best clothing that day – they had been expecting us for weeks. The school director boasted that she had never seen her students so primped and excited for visitors before. At that moment I realized that there really was more to the children (their lives outside of school and their aspirations) than met the eyes. We could see that they were barefoot and that others had shoes that were tattered and beyond repair but we might have never known that they were wearing their BEST clothing, even if they had holes and stains on them. Our visit was special not only to us, but to them.

I could go on for days about the children we met but I’m going to highlight messages we received last week from two Shoe-Droppers in Argentina: one lucky TOMS sweepstakes winner and one TOMS employee. This is why we choose shoes …

Hello,
My name is Lindsey and I am the sweepstakes winner with the group in Argentina…
I am a teacher and I thought I had experienced a lot as far as kids in need. But, no. This trip to Argentina has been humbling (ask Anya who had to comfort me our second drop because I got so emotional). I can´t tell you what a difference TOMS is making in the lives of these children. To put shoes on a child whose feet are torn, dirty and swollen because they walk barefoot is the most amazing experience. To see kids wear closed toed shoes for the first time is almost more than I can describe.
Thank you, thank you, thank you TOMS for allowing me this experience. I am so ready to spread the One for One message when I return home. To see first hand the meaning of this motto is such a gift!
I can´t wait for you to see our pictures. They speak volumes.
Lindsey K.

Hey!
Today we gave shoes in the rain despite getting a flat tire a few miles away from the second village! While we all huddled under the awning, most of the kids played joyfully in the storm with Melissa, kicking their soccer ball…. After we made sure everyone had shoes, we danced, high-fived, and gave thumbs up to Tec and his camera. The kids loved seeing the photos of themselves. They were so giggly and energetic. I miss them already. I’m so glad well continue to give shoes to these villages. For many today, it was their first pair. xo katie

To many more moments like this.

All my best,

Ana Maria
Friends of TOMS Program Manager

Read more about TOMS giving programs in Ethiopia.

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In the days before we left for the trip, we were stopped endlessly by our colleagues, “Well, are you ready?!”  We just shook our heads, laughed and smiled, “I guess so!” We had no clue we would fall in love with a 6 year girl on day five, we didn’t know we’d cry when we walked in to a school on day four and hundreds of children were singing in unison to us. We didn’t predict our first day would end with a 30 minute conversation in slow, broken English about school and America and family atop a 20 foot skate ramp outside Durban.

And now, after six weeks of reminiscing and “I miss you!” posts on Facebook with the other volunteers and the Element crew, we’re sharing our stories with our fellow employees here at HQ.

Matt from Customer Service led the slide show put together by Heidi in our media department while Jonathan, Justin, Kelli, Ana Maria, Fion, Megan, Garett, and I threw in extra tidbits about how AWESOME the entire experience was.

Matt telling stories to the crowd in the back of the office

A kid getting ready to jump off the pier to surf. He is part of the Uthumbo program in Durban that provides a safe haven for street kids, teaching them art, and how to surf and skate.

The TOMS + Element South Africa Shoe Drop crew

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We know that TOMS has the most loyal and generous supporters around, and now we want to prove it to America! Help us win $50,000 for Friends of TOMS to go on more TOMS Shoe Drops and fight Podo.

We have until November 6^th to show everyone how incredible TOMS supporters are and all it takes is a small sacrifice from each of you. Can you pass up a sandwich and a drink to help someone walk again? How about that movie on Friday night? All it takes is $10 to help us win America’s Giving Challenge, a Facebook Cause contest, which awards the nonprofit with the highest number of donations from now until the end of the contest on November 6^th.

The total amount donated doesn’t matter! We just need to have more TOMS fans donate more often than supporters for other nonprofits in order to earn $50,000 for Friends of TOMS. Ten TOMS supporters giving $10 is better than one giving $100. And TOMS supporters are already so good at giving.  They do it every time they shop for new TOMS!

So please help us by donating the money you usually use for dessert , laundry (we won’t tell), or lose in the couch to help us fight disease and get more shoes to children in need.

Here is how the contest works. Go to the TOMS Facebook page to find the link to America’s Giving Challenge and donate.

Each day, the nonprofit with the highest number of donations wins $1000, and on November 6^th, whichever non-profit has had the highest number of total unique donations wins $50,000. This money can help us help so many people in need of treatment for Podoconiosis and put shoes on the feet of so many children who do not have any, so please think about what a simple $10 donation can do.  You can give a small amount and still have a huge impact!

We need your help EVERY DAY of this contest!

Thank You!

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Friends,

As I wait to board my flight back home after 16 days in Africa, I am consumed with emotions, children’s faces, funny memories and visions of the future. I am alone right now, but feel deeply connected to each of the volunteers, camera men and women and friends who I spent my time with the past few weeks, and I feel especially connected to each of the TOMS family members I will be returning to. I believe each of us has a mission in life, and that one cannot truly be living their most fulfilled life until they recognize this mission and dedicate their life to pursuing it. Sometimes one lasts for two weeks or two months, or possibly 20 years. I have given my life to several over the past 33 years, but none of them have resonated so deeply with my soul as the one I am currently pursuing. This mission is not singular in its track, but consists of several evolving pursuits interconnected by the TOMS movement. I would like to share each of those with you in hopes that you will continue to support me and hold me accountable in fulfilling them.

Click here to read more from Blake’s letter.

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The opening night started the weekend off with a bang. We screen printed custom Shoe Drop t-shirts with maps of Shoe Drop locations, parachutes, and more. It was a HUGE success,  and everyone took home their own custom shirt. My personal favorite will always be the TOMS shoes parachutes. I’d decorate all over with those little parachutes!

Blake also gave a very inspiring speech to the group and past Shoe Dropper Olivia made the cutest cake  imaginable.

The Shoe Drop staff from Argentina even flew up from Buenos Aires to join us. We couldn’t be happier to see Alejo, Pablo and Pepe around HQ, especially since this is Pepe’s first time in the United States!

It was wonderful to share TOMS headquarters and Santa Monica with all of our extended Shoe Drop Family in such a fun way. Sharing memories, stories and new ideas is such a refreshing experience. Someone mentioned how we all share a great common bond… and they were certainly right.

Thanks so much to everyone who made the trip, can’t wait for next time! Don’t stay away too long guys!

-Kelli

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The weekend starts this evening here at HQ. We will screen print some t-shirts, eat some delicious dinner and get a chance to hear what’s new and exciting in everyone’s lives.

Tomorrow, the team is volunteering with Coastal Clean Up in the morning and finishing up the day with an awesome picnic on the beach! Can’t wait to share the beauty of the Santa Monica coast with so many people who have never been here.

Its wonderful to know our family of Shoe Drop volunteers continues to grow every year. Having personally been on a Shoe Drop myself in 2008, I know the experience of personally giving a child his or her first pair of shoes- a pair that fit, a pair they love- is undeniably a life changing experience… something you can only imagine until you have the wonderful opportunity to share in that moment. But each of our experiences as a Shoe Drop volunteer are uniquely different too, which makes me so eager to chat with other volunteers this weekend!

With less than 12 hours to go, all of us at TOMS are looking forward to their arrival. We’ll be tweeting this weekend too, so make sure to follow Friends of TOMS on Twitter @FriendsofTOMS.

- Kelli

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