When it comes to homelessness, socks are like currency. It rains, and feet get wet. When people are donating their clothes to local organizations, they very rarely donate their socks. They get dirty, stinky, etc… and people throw them away. Imagine living on the street without socks. Without shoes. It can really do some damage to a person’s feet.
When Project Happy Feet first began in May of 2010, it began as a way to bring socks to an outreach worker in Santa Cruz California. Ronee Curry was the first person to teach me about the importance of socks as a tool to establish relationships. “It’s not about the socks, it’s about the friendship that comes with it.” She was buying socks on her own dime, and it was costing her a fortune to provide Happy Feet to the people in her community. We shipped Ronee 1,000 pairs of socks and the idea seemed to explode. Once I discovered the joys of outreach, I began distributing socks myself. When I started meeting amazing people like Patrick, whose feet are pictured above, I knew that Happy Feet would always be on my heart. To date, we’ve distributed over 8,000 pairs of socks and hundreds of shoes in every state in the country!
Organizations that work with homelessness are always in need of socks, so check with your local shelters. Carry a few pairs of socks in your car. Host a sock drive through your church, your school, or your college class! Ask your friends, your family, and be creative! If you would like to host a Happy Feet sock drive or you would like to learn more about street outreach, send an email to info@Project-5050.com
