Cane Toads A Shoe-In for Social Impact

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

You may never have considered how online shopping for cane toads could have a positive social impact. You may also never have considered what these unwelcome pests have to do with fashion. But one social business has combined these elements to sell ethically produced shoes from Australian materials like toad and kangaroo leather to fund youth development projects in Western Sydney.

Founded by entrepreneur Matt Noffs, Gideon Shoes was established to fund the work of Street University which he started with his wife Naomi as a part of the Ted Noffs Foundation – started by Matt’s grandfather Reverend Ted Noffs back in 1970.

“We run a variety of Social Enterprises – the Street Universities being the largest and most successful. The Street University is a Model 1 SE. It doesn’t raise capital, its a non-profit service that works with disadvantaged young people from around NSW and Canberra,” Noffs says

Source: Pro Bono News Australia (link opens in a new window)

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