Random Act of Kindness: TOMS Shoes

It's a match made in heaven—charitable giving and of all things, buying shoes! Who do we have to thank for this noble endeavor? Fashion shoe-gooder Blake Mycoskie, an entrepreneur who was a former contestant on The Amazing Race and the founder of TOMS Shoes.

The concept is simple: For each pair of TOMS shoes that you buy, another pair will be donated to a child in need. The idea was born from Blake's trips to Argentina, where he was inspired by the people and the culture (TOMS are modeled after the utility shoes of Argentine workers, which apparently are also popular among polo players and their stylish girlfriends). At the same time, Blake was moved by the poverty that he witnessed, and so his mission to improve the lives of thousands of kids through shoes came to be.

We ordered a pair to keep in the car for driving...we think they'd be great for Tai Chi or yoga, too. Or, wear in lieu of flip-flops, Stan Smiths or Converse sneaks. Any way you look at it, buying TOMS means taking a step in the right direction.


Available in 18 different colors and patterns at www.tomsshoes.com.