Walk a Mile in No Shoes on April 8th

We've all heard the empathetic expression, "walk a mile in my shoes," but TOMS Shoes hope everyone will walk a day without shoes — April 8th to be exact.

April 8 has been designated the third annual One Day Without Shoes, a campaign which asks everyone to go barefoot for a day in an effort to bring attention to those who don't have shoes. Barefoot children in developing nations, especially those who walk miles for food or water, can suffer serious infections. Often, children without shoes are barred from school. TOMS Shoes, a shoe company that gives away a pair of new shoes to a needy child for every pair it sells, is organizing the daylong event.

On April 8th, barefoot events are taking place around the globe, from Little Rock to London, from Venice to Dubai. Participants can pledge their commitment to go shoeless or join or organize their own One Day Without Shoes events by connecting on line at www.OneDayWithoutShoes.com. This central Internet location is also a forum for people to list their own events as well as post their own videos, photos and experiences walking a day without shoes.

TOMS Shoes was founded in 2006 after global traveler Blake Mycoskie wandered into a village in Argentina and found the children he befriended there had no shoes. Since the company's start, TOMS has given over 400,000 pairs of new shoes away to children in need throughout the world.

TOMS Shoes' founder and Chief Shoe Giver Mycoskie says of the One Day Without Shoes campaign, "A shoe company asking people to go barefoot? I know it's odd, but we are so excited for people to once again join us in One Day Without Shoes. We ask people to go the day, part of the day, or even just a few minutes, barefoot, to experience what millions of children endure every day. Awareness and empathy are the catalysts of change."

Says one participant, "I wanted to spend a day walking in the footsteps of all the kids we give shoes too."

Photo by joshme17 via Flickr.