"One for One" or "One for One Thousand??"

The trend is now in full gear. People all across America are buying TOMS Shoes with intentions of helping others in the world. It has almost become a sense of social status in the US. When a person is seen wearing TOMS, they establish themselves as charitable and benevolent people. I wonder though how many people question where their money goes?

If you are not already aware, TOMS Shoes is a "FOR PROFIT organization with giving at its core" according to their website. Founder of the organization, Blake Mycoskie, is certainly enjoying the popularity of his product and has captivated the hearts of poverty-conscious Americans everywhere. The goal of the company is simple..."One for One." For each pair of shoes purchased a pair of shoes is given to a child in need and the cost of a pair of TOMS shoes ranges from $44 to $98. With costs that high, TOMS is able to rack up tons of profit. According to Business Week, TOMS Shoes made $4.6 million in revenue from its first 115,000 pairs of shoes!

Now trendy or not, TOMS shoes are making a positive impact. However this impact does not compare to that of making a direct donation to a non-profit organization such as Food for the Hungry or World Relief. The same $44 you spend on a pair of TOMS Shoes could help Food for the Hungry deworm 1,000 children who are being robbed of their foods nutrition. Or that $44 could help World Relief provide clean water to a family protecting them from all kinds of water-borne disease, dehydration and long treks to the nearest water source.

I don't want people to think buying TOMS Shoes is a bad thing. That is not the message I am attempting to send. I would agree it is better to buy TOMS than Nike's, but I am concerned that they have become merely a status symbol that their owners are charitable people.

This Christmas please consider donating to Food for the Hungry or World Relief.
http://www.fh.org/give/catalog
https://worldrelief.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=723
Put your passion for helping the poor into action and think carefully about how best to help others. Also, do some research! Find out how you can get involved and what is really making a difference in the lives of the poor!

Check out Food for the Hungry