SPORTO’S ROOTS BEGIN WITH THE GOLD SEAL RUBBER COMPANY FOUNDED IN 1872.  THIS ORGANIZATION WENT ON TO LAY THE CORNERSTONE FOR TODAY’S TWO-TEN CHARITABLE FOOTWEAR FOUNDATION

Realizing that the passing of the hat was not a sustainable way to provide financial assistance, the group, including A.A. Bloom, Abe Borkowitz, Morris Rosenston and Al Schachat, decided to create an organization that would anonymously provide aid to shoepeople in need. Abe Shapiro, President of the Gold Seal Rubber Company, and owner of a building housing over 300 shoe companies at 210 Lincoln Street in Boston, gave a $500 gift to create the organization, as well as office space at 210 Lincoln Street to centralize their operations. It was then that Two Ten and the basis for its name was born.