RADNOR, Pa. (Feb. 15, 2021)— Cabrini University’s annual Give Love, Give Socks, Give Hope drive helped The Joy of Sox reach a notable milestone: With its delivery on Saturday, Feb. 13 to Prevention Point Philadelphia in Kensington, the Wayne-based nonprofit has donated a half million pairs of socks since 2010. In the past four years, Cabrini has contributed 6,000 pairs of socks to The Joy of Sox’s donation efforts in the Philadelphia area.
Cabrini’s Give Love, Give Socks, Give Hope campaign, held in early February to align with Socks for the Homeless Day on Feb. 14, raises funds for not only The Joy of Sox’s many donations in Pennsylvania and around the United States, but also the University’s Wolfington Center, which fosters community-based learning through Catholic social teaching in the spirit of Mother Cabrini. Since 2017, Cabrini students, alumni, and staff have been among those who volunteered to deliver socks on behalf of The Joy of Sox.
“The Cabrini community’s commitment to service is integral to the University’s Education of the Heart and we are proud to support the impactful work of organizations within our community like The Joy of Sox,” said Ray Ward, PhD, Director of the Wolfington Center. “It is an honor to have played a part in this milestone of 500,000 pairs of socks donated to those experiencing homelessness. I am also grateful to the donors whose contributions to the Give Love, Socks, Hope fundraiser will support further service opportunities for Cabrini students through the Wolfington Center.”
Founded by Nancy Costello (ʼ71) and husband Tom Costello Jr. (HONʼ11), The Joy of Sox purchases and donates new socks of all sizes to homeless shelters and clinics throughout the United States and as far away as Uganda and Afghanistan. The organization has succeeded in making Socks for the Homeless Day a recognized holiday in five states, including Pennsylvania.
“We observe Socks for the Homeless Day in mid-February as a way to increase winter-time charitable giving, which traditionally drops off after the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays,” said Tom Costello, Chief Sock Person at The Joy of Sox. “As we reflect on our 10th anniversary and this milestone of 500,000 pairs of socks donated, we express sincere gratitude for the continued service of countless volunteers and key partners like Cabrini and its mission-driven community.”
The Joy of Sox has donated socks to Prevention Point, a public health organization and harm reduction service provider in Philadelphia, since 2015. Prevention Point Director of Community Engagement and Volunteer Services, Clayton Ruley, said Saturday’s milestone donation comes at an ideal time for the city’s unhoused population.
“We take for granted that we’re able to change our socks on a daily basis, but that’s just not the case for a lot of people we work with,” Ruley said. “In the cold months, if homeless people can’t change their socks, it leads to illness and disease that the cold and wetness brings."
About Cabrini University
Founded in 1957 by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Cabrini University is a Catholic institution that empowers students to become advocates of social change through an Education of the Heart, focusing on academic excellence, community engagement, and leadership development.
Cabrini enrolls approximately 1,550 undergraduates in more than 40 majors, pre-professional programs, concentrations, and minors on its serene 112-acre campus located 30 minutes from Philadelphia. The University also enrolls 525 students in graduate, doctoral, and professional studies programs at its main campus in Radnor, PA, and at five off-campus locations.