TOMS Blog

At TOMS, we’re committed to creating the biggest impact possible with the shoes we give, but we recognize that we don’t have all the answers. That’s a huge part of why we partner with humanitarian organizations – we call them our “Giving Partners” — with deep experience and knowledge on the communities they serve. Step 1 of the distributing TOMS Shoes where they’ll make an impact: identifying the need in a specific community.

Once TOMS Giving Partners recognize where shoes can benefit communities and how they can distribute TOMS to those who will benefit from them, the intricacies of our giving partnership come into play. Together, we work to incorporate shoes to add value to the Giving Partner’s larger existing programs, which often include health and education initiatives.

Then comes distribution, one of the biggest challenges in the process of delivering on the One for One promise of TOMS Shoes. Our Giving Partners take the lead here, strategizing the best way to deliver the large shipments of TOMS Shoes to those for whom they were intended, and we do everything in our power to help make it happen. To support our Giving Partners in distribution, TOMS taps into what we call the “Last Mile Contribution” which helps cover the costs of transporting the shoes. This includes the cost of freight, vehicle rentals, fuel, storage and labor (a term we use for the man…or donkey…power required to get the shoes to often-remote locations).

With the hardest parts past us, we move on to placing the shoes on the feet of the children who come to own the pair you provided by purchasing a pair TOMS. The process for placing new TOMS Shoes on children’s feet is up to our Giving Partners — and we’ve found that each has a unique way that work best for the communities they serve. No matter the step-by-step, our Giving Partners are thorough and thoughtful in making sure each pair of new TOMS Shoes goes home with a child in the right size, with the knowledge that these are theirs to keep and wear.
 

As soon as six months later, we begin again, working side-by-side with Giving Partners to repeat give. As children grow – quickly! – so does our relationship with their communities. TOMS Giving Partners return where they’ve already distributed TOMS Shoes to replace the pair the child’s outgrown with a new pair of well-fitting TOMS. This helps ensure that kids stay healthy and in school, and that we’re helping serve each child and each community in a sustainable, reliable and consistent manner.

Thanks to the support from our wonderful fans and customers, we’re currently helping give shoes to children in more than 45 countries! To learn more about how TOMS gives shoes, visit our “How We Give Shoes” album on Facebook.