Could YOU Go One Day Without Shoes?

Throughout my Campaigns class, I've learned all kinds of terrible statistics about the poverty rate in Athens-Clarke County. Athens has the fifth highest poverty rate (28%) for counties its size in the nation. One in four children in Athens lives in poverty. The list goes on and on.

I recently learned another poverty-related statistic that shocked me - more than 40% of the world goes without shoes every day. Most of us stress out on a daily basis about finding the perfect shoes to match our outfit (admit it ladies), so not owning a single pair is unfathomable. That is why TOMS at UGA (a client of one of the other PR Campaigns classes) is joining in the national campaign, "One Day Without Shoes," to raise awareness of what it would truly be like not to own a single pair of shoes. The purpose of the event at UGA is to get as many students as possible to spend time barefoot in honor of those who must walk shoeless every day.

Tomorrow, join TOMS at UGA from 12 - 6 p.m. on Brumby Beach and "bare your sole" while listening to live music and bouncing on the moonwalk. At 5:30 p.m., a group will walk barefoot from Brumby Beach to Bolton dining hall to conclude the event. Students who already own a pair of TOMS can participate in the “Style Your Sole” activity and design their own signature pair. TOMS at UGA will also show “For Tomorrow,” a documentary detailing the company's mission and history.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with TOMS Shoes, the company donates one pair of shoes to a child in need across the world for each pair purchased. The name "TOMS" comes from the word “tomorrow,” as the company strives to provide shoes to help the futures of countries worldwide. Since 2006, TOMS has donated over 100,000 pairs of shoes.

For more information about TOMS at UGA, check out their blog, follow them on Twitter, or search "TOMS at UGA" on Facebook.