One for One

They came! My yellow Portsmouth Cordone TOMS arrived and they are even better than I expected. I slipped them on and suddenly I felt a little livelier, a little lighter (yay) and kind of sunshiny! Yup - I am going to look so darn adorable bopping around in these rustic - but nifty little slip-ons.

I have been lurking the TOMS Shoes website for a couple of years now and I finally gave myself an excuse to order myself a pair. Thought they would be easy to pack and fun to bring along to Africa, and I saved some money by having them delivered from California to my Dad's place in Florida instead of to Canada.

TOMS is a truly remarkable company. They have a One for One business model that embodies social responsibility. With every pair purchased, TOMS gives a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. And then they organize shoe drops and accept volunteers to go along for the experience. These shoe drops happen all over Africa and Guatemala and more. Companies like TOMS are the future for the betterment of the planet. They offer a useful product, provide meaningful employment and generate a positive outcome for children in need. It doesn't get any better than that.

Let's face it. $69 US is not chump change for a canvas pair of summer shoes ... but when you consider that you are actually purchasing two pairs, and helping a worthy initiative, it is a small price to pay. I am choosing to vote with my consumer dollars mindfully, and I think I"ll look cute in my TOMS doing it!

They really work at getting their message across ...

And you know where I'll be flying the TOMS flag in about 7 weeks.