Coming together in a rapid-fire, two-hour shift on Monday, Jan. 20—Martin Luther King Jr. Day—45 volunteers from Cabrini University, the surrounding neighborhood, and a local high school tore open sealed boxes and dug through new, comfy, and colorful footwear, sorting socks for men, women, and children at The Joy of Sox® warehouse in Phoenixville, PA. They loaded up bright, signature purple bags set to deliver to local and Philadelphia-area organizations to benefit people experiencing homelessness. The end result? More than 19,000 pairs of socks, ready to protect and warm the feet of neighbors in need this winter.
For highlights from Cabrini’s MLK Day service with The Joy of Sox, watch the video below.
The next opportunity to Give Love, Give Socks, Give Hope is Monday, Feb. 10–Friday, Feb. 14, the week of Valentine’s Day. The University invites Cabrini alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends to show their love during that time by contributing $5 to impact.cabrini.edu. Donations will go directly toward the purchase of wool socks and other outreach to the area’s homeless population.
Tom Costello Jr., Chief Sock Person and Founder of The Joy of Sox, says the nonprofit’s mission is “to provide joy to those experiencing homelessness by giving them new socks.” After watching donations decrease each year after the holidays, Costello set out to officially designate Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14—a day to express love—as National Socks for the Homeless Day. So far, his resolution has passed in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and North Dakota. He’s working on California, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Give Love, Give Socks, Give Hope week will culminate on Valentine’s Day, when Cabrini students, faculty, and staff, along with Joy of Sox volunteers, will deliver socks to organizations that help people struggling with homelessness.
Kyran Weemaels, a Cabrini senior, said he volunteered with The Joy of Sox on MLK Day because he wants to help others in need.
“I enjoyed being able to pack as many bags as I could,” he said. “I also love being able to hear the stories that have impacted people from such organizations.”
Costello, who collects tens of thousands of socks annually, summed it up this way:
“It’s cold,” he said. “You need socks on your feet. And that’s what your donations of socks or dollars could accomplish. … It humbles me that people support this organization, and we’re grateful for that.”
Give Love, Give Socks, Give Hope
Monday, Feb. 10–Friday, Feb. 14
$5 Donation for Socks and Homelessness Outreach
Visit impact.cabrini.edu or text SOX to 610.981.1248