CBS Covers TOMS in Ethiopia
CBS recently joined TOMS Chief Shoe Giver Blake Mycoskie in Southern Ethiopia, a region where TOMS gives shoes to children at risk for a debilitating disease calledPodoconiosis.
TOMS and Topshop host the first UK Style Your Sole Event
In February, TOMS partnered with leading UK fashion retailer Topshop to host a Style Your Sole event at the retailer's Oxford Circus location. This was the first Style Your Sole event to take place in the UK and was part of a Topshop's greater event schedule for London Fashion week. Customers, fans, and fashion week attendees purchased canvas TOMS and had them transformed into one-of-a-kind, hand painted kicks.
Philippa, TOMS UK PR Director, says, "It was a brilliant day, the artists were busy all day and probably painted about 30-40 pairs. Customers loved it, we saw a lot of TOMS fans, and Topshop were really pleased – all in all it was a very inspiring and successful SYS event."
Local artists included Tika, Nathalie, Claire, Sarah, and Lise B. TOMS Founder and Chief Shoe Giver Blake Mycoskie was also present to lend his creativity for the 2-day event.
About Topshop
Since Topshop launched in 1964, it has become a major style authority and one of fashion's biggest success stories. Exemplifying up-to-the-minute affordable style, its brave and irreverent approach to fashion has made it the number one high street stop for style conscious shoppers and industry insiders alike.
TOMS and TeenVogue Want to See How You Style Your Sole!
How do you express your individuality? Your design could end up as part of a real TOMS limited edition shoe and sold on TOMS.com
TOMS and TeenVogue will select 10 finalists, and then it’s up to you to pick the winner.
The contest will run from February 15, 2010 – April 30, 2010.Voting will be open to participants April 16 – April 29, 2010 and the winner will be announced on April 30, 2010.
The winning prize:
- Shoe design sold on TOMS.com
- Tour of TOMS HQ
- Two coach airfare tickets, two nights hotel stay
Click here to go to TeenVogue.com and submit your entry.
Threadless Loves TOMS! And we love them too...
To show support of the TOMS mission, Threadless has started a t-shirt design competition to support our favorite holiday, One Day Without Shoes.
One Day Without Shoes is an effort to bring attention to the impact a simple pair of shoes can have on a child’s life.
Your challenge is to design a tee capturing the spirit of One Day Without Shoes.
In addition to helping promote One Day Without Shoes, the winner of the design contest will receive:
• A year’s worth of TOMS (one pair per month for 12 months)
• The opportunity to design an official TOMS t-shirt
• $500 Threadless Gift Certificate
• $2,000 in cash
You can enter your t-shirt design from February 1st through the 21st.
Find out more at threadless.com/loves/tomsoneday
About Threadless:Threadless is an online community-based t-shirt company with an ongoing, open call for submissions. www.Threadless.com
TOMS helps Haiti
1/27/2010
In a recent interview with Ray Suarez, Partner's in Health founder and UN Deputy Special Envoy for Haiti Dr. Paul Farmer mentions that coordination of new volunteers and delivery of services have been their greatest challenges following the 7.0 earthquake earlier this month. The need to plan is essential, as this is not something that will "be over in 2 to 3 weeks or months, re building this will take many many years." Farmer notes that the short-term acute needs are the "easier" things to accomplish, however moving forward the Haitian people will need rehab medicine, "a lot better post-opp nursing" and re-building of their entire health care infrastructure. A 10 year rebuilding program presents a difficult path ahead, but will also create many jobs for the people of Haiti.
When Suarez asked if this disaster brings opportunity for Haiti to start from scratch, Farmer offered a quote from Former President Bill Clinton, that they will in fact be "Building back better" and Haiti can now "seize this moment to start afresh."
Watch the full interview, stay updated on the latest developments and needs in Haiti, and donate directly by visiting PIH's website.
1/19/2010
TOMS customers have made it possible for TOMS to make a donation to Partners In Health in support of immediate response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti. In addition to this support, we are committed to having a positive impact on the people of Haiti by doing what we do best - by February, TOMS will have given 30,000 pairs of shoes to children in Haiti and more are on the way!
Follow @PIH_org on Twitter for the most recent updates on their progress and how to help.
1/13/2010
TOMS has given shoes to Haiti through Partners In Health since 2009, and in light of the recent 7.0 earthquake that has devastated thousands of lives, TOMS is taking action. The first 48 hours is critical for decisive action in any disaster relief effort; therefore TOMS will be donating $5 for every purchase of a One for One item from the TOMS website from 10am PST on Wednesday January 13th until 10am PST Friday January 15th.
“With our hospitals and our highly trained medical staff in place in Haiti, Partners In Health is already mobilizing resources and preparing plans to bring medical assistance and supplies to areas that have been hardest hit. In Boston, our procurement and development teams are already fielding numerous offers of support and making arrangements to deliver resources as quickly as possible to the places where they are needed most.” – www.PIH.org
In addition to monetary donations for immediate disaster relief, we have over 30,000 shoes scheduled to be given in Haiti in February to help with rebuilding efforts.
You can donate directly to Partners In Health here.
About Partners In Health:
The work of PIH has three goals: to care for our patients, to alleviate the root causes of disease in their communities, and to share lessons learned around the world. Through long-term partnerships with our sister organizations, we bring the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need and work to alleviate the crushing economic and social burdens of poverty that exacerbate disease. PIH believes that health is a fundamental right, not a privilege.
TOMS + Element fulfill the One for One promise on a unique Shoe + Board Drop in South Africa
This past October, a crew of TOMS and Element employees, passionate volunteers, a Chief Shoe Giver, and a pro skater embarked on a Shoe Drop very far from home to fulfill the promise of a unique collaboration.
In February of 2009, two like-minded SoCal companies, TOMS Shoes and Element Skateboards, came together to create a limited edition line of TOMS Shoes and a One for One skateboard. This was the first time TOMS collaborated with another brand on a One for One product and the audience responded with overflowing positivity. After the shoes and the boards quickly sold out, the pieces of the Shoe + Board Drop in South Africa began to come together.
Volunteers were accepted, sweepstakes winners were chosen, employees scheduled the time off. Shoe Drop locations were confirmed, itinerary packets were drafted, and excited emails were sent around.
Mid-October, the pack boarded planes and met halfway around the world in Durban, South Africa. The following days were spent giving shoes and skateboards to children in need at Element’s Indigo Skate Camp in the Valley of 1,000 Hills, at primary schools, and youth centers.
The hospitality and compassion shown by each child was the most genuine “thank you” we could have asked for. In the midst of a high energy, beautifully chaotic Shoe Drop, you couldn’t help but look around and think, “This is what it’s all about.”
As one of the ways TOMS gives shoes to children in need around the world, a TOMS Shoe Drop is a special experience and the Shoe + Board Drop was an awesome opportunity made possible by many amazing people at TOMS and Element.
To see a gallery of photos and videos from the TOMS + Element Shoe + Board Drop, visit Element’s site or the TOMS Facebook Page.
Chapter 1: A beautiful adventure awaits...
Chapter 2: Oh boy! We're goin' to South Africa!"
TOMS Fans Rap the One for One Movement
Five students from Minnesota State University Moorhead recently put together a really clever Holiday video about TOMS, and we couldn’t resist sharing it. They created the video for their Intro to Leadership class where they had an assignment to raise awareness about a cause. “We wanted to set ourselves apart from the other groups and have some sort of hook to get people excited and interested in TOMS. My groupmate Whitney and I were talking after class and we thought of a completely ridiculous idea to do a rap about the results of our Style Your Sole event and TOMS in general. Luckily, we had no problem convincing the rest of our group to dress up like rappers and get down with their ol’ bad selves and spin our own TOMS rap.
TOMS Featured on Live! with Regis and Kelly Holiday Gift Guide Segment
Real Simple magazine’s Managing Editor, Kristin Van Ogrop was on Live! with Regis and Kelly with fantastic ideas for combining gift giving and charitable contributions and TOMS was lucky enough to be featured! Silver Glitters, Burgundy Canvas Stitchouts and herringbone Sparkle Tiny TOMS were highlighted as gifts that give back this holiday season. And we couldn’t agree more!
“These shoes are incredible,” said Kristin as she moved over to the boxes of TOMS.
Kristin explained the One for One mission of TOMS Shoes, and pointed out that since 2006, TOMS has given over 150,000 shoes to kids in need around the world.
Kelly exclaimed, “Oh my God, that’s great!”
Yeah it is, Kelly!
It’s nice to be recognized for the One for One model and we hope this exposure will help put more shoes on children in need this holiday.
Thanks to Regis and Kelly for their kind words, we always love hearing other people tell our story and mission. We also feel honored to be alongside other brands that are dedicated to giving to people in need.
The styles mentioned on the show are posted here as well:
TOMS Receives Secretary Of State Award For Corporation Excellence
TOMS Shoes and Chief Shoe Giver Blake Mycoskie are proud recipients of the Secretary of State’s 2009 Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) presented by Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton. The award, established by the State Department in 1999, celebrates companies’ commitment to corporate social responsibility, innovation, exemplary practices, and democratic values worldwide. TOMS Shoes, with its One for One business model, exemplifies the ideals recognized by the award.
Q&A with: Dr. Gail Davey on Podoconiosis
Q&A with Dr. Gail Davey
1. What is your title?
I’m a medical epidemiologist based at Addis Ababa University, in the School of Public Health.