![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.raisingjane.org\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Toms1.gif\" "\\"Toms\\"")
<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tMy grandgirls\u2019 sparkly pink Toms shoes they’ve been wearing this summer are THE fashion statement.<\/p>\n
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And so, like granddaughter, like grandmother …<\/p>\n
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Isn\u2019t that how the saying goes?<\/p>\n
Matching sparkly pink shoes were a given. (Don\u2019t worry, we only trade in our trusty cowgirl boots during the heat of the summer.)<\/p>\n
Speaking of smitten, the whole concept behind Toms shoes is definitely something to admire.<\/p>\n
Toms is committed to its One for One Movement, created by company founder Blake Mycoskie after a trip to Argentina in 2006. It\u2019s so groundbreakingly simple, it\u2019s astonishing: For every pair of shoes purchased, the company gives a pair of shoes to a child in need. One for one\u2014that\u2019s how the saying goes at Toms.<\/p>\n
In developing countries, where soil-transmitted diseases are a leading cause of illness, shoes are not, as they often are for us, a matter of style or convenience. They are a crucial element to living a healthy life.<\/p>\n
Having a pair of shoes can also provide a child with the opportunity to get an education. Many schools require shoes as part of their uniform, and a child without shoes will not be allowed to attend.<\/p>\n
More recently, Toms has made the same one-for-one commitment for eyeglasses. For every pair of Toms eyeglasses purchased, the company will help one person in need regain or improve their sight.<\/p>\n
Toms chose to also focus on the fundamental need of sight because, according to the company, 90% of the 285 million people who suffer from vision impairment live in developing countries and 80% of them can be helped significantly by available solutions like a pair of eyeglasses or a simple 15-minute cataract surgery.<\/p>\n
Regaining or improving eyesight allows children to attend school and adults to go to work. It\u2019s transformational for not just the individual, but for whole communities.<\/p>\n
Blake has recently authored a book, Start Something That Matters<\/a><\/em>, in which he shares the story of Toms, along with the equally inspirational stories of other social entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n And here\u2019s a fun fact: There is no one named Tom behind Toms shoes \u2026 Toms is a shortened version of the company\u2019s basic premise: shoes for a better TOMorrow.<\/p>\n My brand-new, sparkly pink shoes make me happy for so very many reasons, I thought I’d put them and our new baby chicks up to\u00a0something FASHIONISTA.<\/p>\n That’s when the kissing began.<\/p>\n Smooched and them smooched some more. It was a day for kissin’ all around.<\/p>\n Find out more about Toms and Blake (and buy your own pink sparklers) at www.toms.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n (And as recommended on their website, buy them one size smaller. I’m a size 7.5 so I bought a 6.5 and they’re the perfect fit now that I’ve worn them for a day.)\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My grandgirls\u2019 sparkly pink Toms shoes they’ve been wearing this summer are THE fashion statement. And so, like granddaughter, like grandmother … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.raisingjane.org\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Placing.Chics_.on_.Toms_.gif\" "\\"Placing.Chics.on.Toms\\"")
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