On the fifth year of celebration of One Day
Without Shoes in the Philippines, and eighth globally, throngs of friends of
TOMS crowded to Track 30th Park in Bonifacio Global City to walk
barefoot—so children don’t have to.
Piles of deserted shoes created an interesting montage: everything from flip-flops to office pumps, high-heeled wedges to sneakers and ballet flats, reminding us about how we are the lucky ones—the ones who are positioned to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate.
Piles of deserted shoes created an interesting montage: everything from flip-flops to office pumps, high-heeled wedges to sneakers and ballet flats, reminding us about how we are the lucky ones—the ones who are positioned to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate.
The event venue—usually a track for runners
and health enthusiasts—was transformed into mini fair grounds with the
participation of Macho Nacho, Phatboys Handcrafted Ice Cream Sandwiches,
Hattendo Japanese Cream Buns, Wingstop, and Pink Berry.
Entertainment was
provided by the drum circle of the Adinkra Lumads Djembe Community, and the poi
and hula hoop dancers and flow arts performers of Planet Zips.
They were joined
by ukulele musicians and buskers. The combination of tasty snacks and great
entertainment provided the warm ambience of a relaxing walk in the park.
TOMS Philippines representatives Dimples and
Cookie La’O encouraged everybody to join the cause, which was as simple as
participation in this year’s social media campaign.
The La’Os, together with
the hosts, communicated how TOMS is fully sustainable—how the company’s
philanthropy is supported by its sales. The day celebrated an abandonment of
vanity and comfort to join in solidarity with the millions of children across
the globe that do not have access to basic footwear—something we often take for
granted.
The crowd, composed of friends of TOMS,
customers, bloggers, members of the press, society figures,
and even AXN’s Asia’s Got Talent host, Marc Nelson,
followed the hosts of the event in a tour around the upscale neighborhood of
Bonifacio Global City—barefoot!—while cars waited patiently for the crowds to
pass, traffic marshals ensured the safety of all, and phones snapped tons of
barefoot photos in support of the online campaign.
During the annual celebration of its anniversary on May 5 leading up to One Day Without Shoes on May 21, TOMS waived the initial purchase requirement.
For the cost of a post on social media, a
child in need receives a pair of shoes for free, thus this year’s tag line,
“TAKE A PIC = GIVE SHOES.”
All the
participants had to do was use the tag #withoutshoes on Instagram. The photo
was counted towards the number of shoes that TOMS will be giving this 2015 to
children in need.
This year, thousands of Filipinos posted photos of their bare
feet on Instagram—the solidarity was inspiring, especially from a country that
is both a giving country and the recipient of shoes from other countries.
This year’s One Day Without Shoes hosts were
multi-hyphenate host-actor-author Victoria Herrera and heritage conservationist
social advocate Carlos Celdran.
Dressed in his customary kit of barong, shorts,
and bowler hat, Celdran commented that this year’s One Day Without Shoes was
“an interesting and inspiring way to address the great social divide of the
Philippines.”
Celdran and Herrera, old friends, joked around, providing entertainment and a sense of humor on a hot and humid day, but all that playfulness was the spoonful of honey for the important takeaway: how everyone there, by going out of their comfort zone for a few minutes and exposing their soles to the elements, exposed their souls to true love for mankind.
Celdran and Herrera, old friends, joked around, providing entertainment and a sense of humor on a hot and humid day, but all that playfulness was the spoonful of honey for the important takeaway: how everyone there, by going out of their comfort zone for a few minutes and exposing their soles to the elements, exposed their souls to true love for mankind.
All over the world, hundreds of thousands walked
barefoot on May 21, and nearly 300,000 people posted their bare feet on
Instagram. Entries came in from the USA, Europe, Asia and Australia, with
photos of feet at home, on tour, watching TV; at the beach, by the riverside,
in bed, at the office; playing, working, relaxing, sleeping; at sunrise, at
midnight, at sunset, at high noon. The movement attracted the participation of
thousands globally, from adults to yuppies to senior citizens to babies to
“fur-kids”(the bulk of which celebrate One Day Without Shoes on a daily basis
anyway).
Thanks to the global participation, exactly 296243 children will
receive a new pair of shoes each. To put this number into perspective, TOMS
reached 1 million shoes given away in 2010, just four years after the company was
launched. With this campaign, TOMS was able to give almost a third of a million
in a matter of two short weeks.
The giving does not start nor stop with One
Day Without Shoes. TOMS’ four product lines—shoes, eyewear, bags, and
coffee—all support marginalized communities. The products were developed after
the company identified a need that had to be fulfilled—as opposed to finding a
cause to support a product. Sales from TOMS Roasting Co., which is not yet
available in the Philippines, support water systems in seven countries. Each
shoe purchase from TOMS gives a new pair to a barefoot child. For every eyewear
purchase, TOMS helps to restore sight to individuals through sight-saving
surgery, prescription glasses, or medical treatment. TOMS Bags, in stylish shapes,
colors and sizes, provide training for skilled birth attendants and the vital
materials needed to help women give birth safely. All of these initiatives are
evidence of TOMS’ sustainable One For One Movement. TOMS stands for Tomorrow’s
Shoes, and the company’s philosophy itself is the future of business:
for-profit, sustainable, fashionable, and caring.
TOMS is a brand that enriches the lives of
everyone it touches—from the fashionable trendsetters
that sport the stylish products to the members of the receiving communities
that benefit from the One For One model—making the world, truly, a more
beautiful place to live.
To know more about One Day Without Shoes, please visit http://www.toms.com/onedaywithoutshoes
To know more about One Day Without Shoes, please visit http://www.toms.com/onedaywithoutshoes
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