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“Seva has given so much help to so many thousands of people for so many years — such a wonderful example of love in action.”
Bonnie Raitt
Singer / Songwriter
"For nearly 40 years Seva has made an extraordinary contribution to the world — not only through their
international programs, but here in some of the most impoverished communities in North America, on Native American reservations. Thank you Seva."
Jackson Browne
Singer / Songwriter
"Seva takes the impulse towards generosity and turns it into compassionate action that helps people in real need. I honor my friends and relations by giving to Seva in their name — the entire world benefits. I hope you'll join me."
Peter Coyote
Actor / Writer
"Compassion and caring for people in need - that's simply a moral necessity. But it's not
always easy to do. Seva makes it easy. They know how to put your donations to work in ways that truly benefit people."
Joan Baez
Singer / Humanitarian Activist
"When we met the folks at Seva, we knew we were among kindred spirits, joining to bring people together in service to others. Whether preventing blindness in Nepal, assisting native peoples in Guatemala and Mexico, or helping our own Native Americans, Seva has been there to help alleviate suffering and improve people's lives. Long may they rock!"
Phil Lesh
The Grateful Dead
"Seva's efforts create hope and happiness worldwide for so many people in difficult conditions. I've always been amazed and cheered by their good works and I've been very happy to help them in their fundraising efforts."
Bruce Hornsby
Singer / Songwriter
“I admire Seva's spirit of innovation. Seva is constantly looking for new ideas that can benefit the world, especially the poor, and they aren't afraid to try something that no one has ever tried before."
Dr. Muhammad Yunus
Nobel Prize Winner / Seva Partner / Founding Chairman of Grameen Health Services
“I congratulate Seva Foundation for the magnificent work they continue to do."
Odetta
Legendary Folk Singer
“Seva has done an incredible job all over the world helping people who really need it. I am proud to be one of the many who followed Wavy and his friends down this particular yellow brick road.”
David Crosby
Singer / Songwriter
“Such dedication to others — how could you not love Seva and what they accomplish? Well done!”
Graham Nash
Singer / Songwriter
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TOMS
One for One®
As Seva kicks off its third year as TOMS' lead Sight Giving Partner, we wanted to take a minute to look back over
our successful partnership.
Three years ago, TOMS' founder Blake Mykoskie made a big
announcement about the future of his company.
Already extremely popular for their shoes and One for One® giving
model, TOMS was about to launch an exciting new product and
new way to give.
At the announcement event in Santa Monica, Blake revealed that
TOMS would now be producing eyewear, and in partnership with
Seva, each pair purchased would support a person in need to
receive sight saving surgery, eyeglasses or medical treatment –
One for One®.
Blake explains, "One thing that I realized over the past couple of
years is this One for One model is very powerful. It allows someone
to buy something that they are already going to buy, or they want,
or they need, and to help someone at the same time.
When I thought about launching another product with the TOMS
model, vision seemed the most obvious choice.
I think what is important to understand, is just how powerful it is to
help give sight to someone in need. With TOMS Eyewear, we are
able to give someone the opportunity to wear a pair of shades,
knowing that there is a much greater purpose."
TOMS' Eyewear Design Director, Darrin Dela Cruz, adds, "there
is an extra ingredient, or an extra material that goes into a TOMS
product, and that's the story. I often think about the person on the
other side, how difficult even the little things might be for them.
How long they've been living with visual impairment, how it's
probably affected their loved ones."
Blake notes "there are about 280 million people in the world who
are either blind or visually impaired, and 80% of that is reversible
or treatable."
He goes on to explain, "There are three ways that your purchase
will help someone. Medical treatment is number one, so let's take
someone who is a farmer who gets a piece of rice or something
lodged in their eye, and it is causing an infection, and if they
don't get it treated quickly and get the right antibiotics they'll
lose their sight.
Prescription eyeglasses are number two. For kids in school that
can't see the blackboard, or for someone who is losing their sight
and needs eyeglasses to continue doing their work.
And then the third is eye surgery, when someone develops
something like a cataract and they can't see at all, they are
completely blind, and so your purchase can help toward doing
the eye surgery. That to me is the closest thing to a miracle
I've ever seen. Literally, people come in, can't see, a 15-minute
surgery, patch comes off, and they can see, it's just awesome.
There is no feeling in the world that compares to that."
Seva's Executive Director, Jack Blanks, applauds Blake and his
company's One for One® model, noting "TOMS' partnership
with Seva demonstrates perfectly how a company putting human
needs and values before profit, can ally itself with a non-profit
organization to provide life changing services and still be a hugely
successful enterprise."
To date, the TOMS Sight Giving Program has provided eyeglasses,
medical treatments, and surgeries to over 250,000 people who
would not otherwise be able to afford eye care. Of this, over 100,000
people have received sight saving surgeries, mostly to remove
blinding cataracts, the leading cause of blindness.
To learn more about TOMS please watch this short video:
