On April 16th I'm going to do something kind of gross. I'm going to ride public transportation barefoot. Why? Because that is way less gross than hookworm, and by doing so, I can bring awareness to children's health and education around the world.
Ask anyone that knows me, I'm not a huge fan of kids in general but follow me for a moment - if I can find 5 people who will dedicate some of their resources (sometimes just a few minutes of their time) then I can help provide something like a school uniform to a child who cannot afford one. This in turn can increase school attendance by 62% which can increase that child's future earnings by 10%, making them an active citizen and ultimately this can turn into a huge positive impact on their community, the world (and me). I think of it as a small thing I can do that can turn into something much greater.
Maybe, if I write a blog post, so that you know why I'm barefoot and include that nearly 16 million children in the United States... that's 22% of all children - live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level ($23,021 a year for a family of four), or that in DC alone one in three children that ride the metro with you, are currently hungry (about double the national average), just one of you will be inclined to do something to help. That something might even be to tell one person who can help - now isn't that easy?
Have you heard the starfish story? It is how I live my life because some days, I can find myself overwhelmed with how much work I have to do to create positive change. Today, I've decided to go barefoot on the metro on April 16th. It may seem like a jump, but if I do this, maybe one less child will be hungry that day. It's worth a shot (and hopefully I won't end up with hookworm – but if I do, I’ll just go to my doctor).
Want to join me in reaching my goal to recruit 2,000 teammates? All you need to do is go here: http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/challenge put in #barefootfendys (this is IMPORTANT so I can track my teammates!) and your email address and then skip the shoes on April 16th.
Consider yourself thrown in the ocean, my little starfish.
xo,
Emily
What is #barefootfendys? A group of really awesome people going barefoot for a good cause. Sometimes these folks are sophisticated and mature and sometimes they are just a hot mess - but no matter what, they are lovable.
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| This woman has absolutely nothing to do with this great charity effort, but TJ is too much of an idiot not to include the image in the post. |
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