TOMS shoes: Would you go barefoot for a good cause?

TOMS shoes is hosting its annual "One Day Without Shoes," in which people shed their kicks to help raise awareness of shoeless children.

If you see people walking around barefoot today, don't be alarmed. They're just trying to experience what life is like for the world's poorest children.

TOMS Shoes is organizing its fourth annual One Day Without Shoes on April 5, in which participants shed their footwear to raise awareness of shoelessness.

Since 2006, the Santa Monica, Calif. company had donated a pair of its canvas shoes, which retail for about $50, to a child in need for every one purchased. This donation process has been going on since 2006, and over 1,000,000 pairs have been given away to children in more than 20 countries.

According to USA Today, the company's founder, Blake Mycoskie, first witnessed the need for shoes while on vacation in Argentina in 2006. Since then, he has been helping donate the shoes, using a "one-to-one" business model, which he says is the easiest way to keep track of how many shoes have been donated.

The company says that children without shoes are not only more susceptible to injury and disease, but they are also often hindered in getting an education, as many schools require footwear as part of their uniforms.

Is kicking off your shoes a worthwhile way to address this problem? More importantly, do you have a hole in your sock today? Let us know in the comments thread, or join our discussion on Facebook.