A group of people in West Hollywood will walk barefoot from Plummer Park to the Whole Foods Market at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Fairfax  Avenue on April 5 as part of “One Day Without Shoes”, an event designed to raise funds and awareness for programs assisting people in developing countries.

The walk is being sponsored by Whole Foods Market and Toms Shoes. Allison Dominguez, a spokesperson for Toms Shoes, said philanthropy is a big part of the company’s mission. In many developing countries, there is a shortage of shoes, and children and adults must walk barefoot for miles on a daily basis. In Ethiopia, approximately one million people suffer from a foot disease known as podoconiosis, which is preventable by wearing shoes. For every pair of shoes purchased from Toms Shoes, a pair is donated to a developing country in Africa, South America and Asia.

Cindy Schoonmaker, a marketing supervisor for Whole Foods West Hollywood, said approximately 30 people had signed up for the event, but organizers were expecting a lot more to participate. The group will start gathering at 3:30 p.m. at Plummer Park, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd., and at 4 p.m. will walk the .8-mile distance to the supermarket, located at 7871 Santa Monica Blvd. The event will culminate with a community celebration at the market, where five local artists will be available to design custom pairs of Toms shoes based on ideas provided by the participants. Proceeds from the purchase will go to the “One Day Without Shoes” program.

James McCaskill, an employee at Whole Foods West Hollywood who plans to participate in the walk, added that he is excited about helping.

“I definitely want to take part in it because from the sense that it is a great event and way to provide necessities to the needy children in third world countries,” McCaskill said. For information, visit www.onedaywithoutshoes.com,