Those of you who’ve been following my posts know that I was inspired by Kid President Robby Novak’s YouTube video calling on local communities to collect new socks for the homeless during “Socktober.” The results are in and it was a resounding success! With some fantastic team work we soared past our goal of 750 pairs of new socks, actually getting 1053 pairs!
With the help of a number of local businesses and the Johnson City Morning Rotary Club, we collected new socks in all sizes and for both genders. This week we gave the warm, new and often colorful socks, to United Way of Washington County, TN for distribution to the United Way agencies that serve the homeless.
Socktober sponsors turn in socks to Washington County TN United Way President and CEO Lester Lattany.
“We would like to thank all of the coordinators and participants of this year’s Socktober campaign. The socks will be given to our agencies that provide direct services to children and homeless families in our community. This campaign is another expression of the very caring spirit that is in this great community” said United Way of Washington County’s President and CEO Lester Lattany.
Johnson City Schools Homeless coordinator Bonnie White said the sock donations are vital necessities. “These new socks are very much needed,” White said. “Many children come to school with shoes that are too small or too large and they get blisters on their feet from not having any socks at all.”
United Way of Washington County TN and Mary Ellen Miller of MarketingMel with over 1,000 pairs of new socks for the homeless.
MarketingMel along with Summit Leadership Foundation, Spine & Sports Chiropractic and Appearances Hair Salon and the Johnson City Morning Rotary (at Johnson City Country Club) were Socktober sponsors. This year many great drop off locations participated including: Appearances Hair Salon, Cumberland Marketing, Exalt Academy of Cosmetology, First Tennessee Bank, Johnson City Country Club, Spine & Sports Chiropractic, Summit Leadership Foundation, Tri-City Community Bank and Princeton Arts Center. Additional businesses that heard about the campaign and asked to be a part were Chick-Fil-A Crossings and Robinson’s Animal Hospital.
A great big THANK YOU to all who took part. If you’re reading this blog, did your community take part in #Socktober?
6 Comments
What an awesome cause! I am so glad to see more organizations, and people in general, supporting it. My kids elementary school also participated in Socktober and it was a great experience.
Tiffany, I think Kid President had kids in mind when he began this campaign. It’s fantastic that adults in our community have embraced it and next year I would like to see the elementary schools undertake #Socktober campaigns as well as they have in your areas. Thank you.
I love that you have done this for a few years now. Simple and effective. Everyone needs warm socks in cold weather. Thanks for standing up to help your community, Mary Ellen.
Thanks for your kind words of support Sue!
It always warms my heart to see initiatives and efforts to help the homeless. Help starts and home and if we’d all do just a small part we’d make some progress.
Write on!~
Lisa
Thank you Lisa! It was so great to see those socks going out to the agencies (and those who need them!)