Spotlight On...

 

Each month, The Giving Back Fund would like to recognize an individual or organization that is doing its part to make the world a better place. We have selected Tom’s Shoes for our inaugural edition.
           
It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. However, when Blake Mycoskie arrived in Argentina, what he would find would change the lives of both himself and people around the world. While he was playing polo, he found that people in a nearby village were in the midst of horrific living conditions and lacked basic necessities. The people there were organizing a shoe drive, encouraging people to donate their old, worn-out shoes. Children were given shoes that had holes in them and did not fit. In the midst of these circumstances, Mycoskie thought of the idea of Tom’s Shoes.

 

Tom’s Shoes operates off of this simple premise: you buy one pair of shoes and another pair is given to a child who is in need. What started as an effort to reach out to the children in Argentina, has grown into an organization that is now assisting children all over the world. The organization is a mix of creativity, innovation, and compassion. Blake Mycoskie is known as the “Chief Shoe Giver” instead of a typical title of Chief Executive Officer. The shoes are delivered to the children via a “shoe drop” where the representatives from Tom’s individually place the shoes on each child’s feet.

 

Tom’s Shoes simple yet effective business model is reshaping how people think of charity and encouraging consumers to give back even as they purchase products. We can thank Tom’s Shoes for giving us a glimpse into the future of philanthropy. For more information, please visit http://www.tomsshoes.com.