How to help with a pair of socks

Have you donated clothes to the homeless? We guess that you have. Have you ever donated socks? If you answered ‘no’ you aren’t the only ones. A team of volunteers took to the streets of New York and asked passersby the same question. So many of us want to help those in need, yet we often overlook what is needed the most – socks. You may recall the NYU student we profiled last year who was told by a homeless man that the item needed most was socks for warmth and protection. That conversation caused Adina Lichtman, now a senior, to take a small neighborly action that has since inspired thousands of students and community members to do the same. Adina is the bright light behind the donation-based organization Knock Knock Give a Sock (KKGS). The premise is simple – knock on your neighbor’s door and ask if they have a pair of socks to donate. It’s about meeting your neighbors while meeting the needs of others. We caught up with Adina recently to get an update on KKGS. Not only is she a full time college student but she is also running the non-profit full time along with a team that supports corporate, college and high school outreach. KKGS is now on 25 campuses and is spreading globally with sock drives occurring all over the world, including Canada, Israel and New Zealand! To date, the organization has collected over 30,000 pairs of socks. Adina was also part of the Clinton Global Initiative University, and got the opportunity to present there. She has been busy! Knock Knock Give a Sock is no doubt impacting the lives of others – not only those in need, but of those who want to help. One of the most powerful stories Adina recalls from the last year is the story of Rachel. In a recent ELI talk, Adina speaks about this woman who wanted to help. In just two short weeks, Rachel collected 2000 pairs of socks before she passed away from cancer. Her selflessness is an inspiration for us to take action. Adina reminds us, “Be sure to meet new people and try new things because you never know who or what could be changing your life.”

How to help with a pair of socks

1. Clear out your sock drawer and donate them
2. ToeSox will donate a pair of new socks for every pair of ToeSox casual socks purchased between November 1-December 24
3. Meet your neighbors and spread awareness