Men's Style

Roma — Giving Poverty The Boot!

Roma Boots combines fashion with philanthropy to help eradicate the cycle of poverty afflicting street children and orphans. For every pair of Roma Boots sold, a new pair is donated to a child in need. Join our cause and help give poverty the boot! Roma means amor, and amor means love. Roma Boots is a social enterprise that sells fashionable rain boots and donates a pair for each pair sold to street children and orphans living in poverty–especially in cold and wet climates. Roma Boots was founded in 2009 by Romanian-born, Samuel Bistrian, who wanted to help children in his home country by combining his love of fashion with philanthropy.

Photo credit: Roma

Samuel Bistrian received his first pair of handed-down rain boots when he was six years old and living in a small village in Transylvania. When he was eight years old, the Communist regime fell, and his family came to America in search of opportunity. After finishing college Bistrian worked in retail. In 2007 he left a department manager position at Neiman Marcus to pursue, his passion to travel, write and help others–especially street children and orphans.

Photo credit: Roma

He wanted to find the most effective and practical way to help these children break free from poverty, so, for the next two years, pondered ways to combine his love of fashion and philanthropy. After meeting TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie at Neiman Marcus in 2009, he was inspired to start Roma Boots. Giving poverty the boot by bringing impoverished children hope, love and lasting change in the most sustainable and practical way. For every pair of Roma boots sold, a brand new pair (with school supplies) is donated to a child in need.

For more info, please visit http://romaboots.com/.