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Siloam Mission in Winnipeg was recently blessed with a huge shipment of socks, ensuring community members' greatest needs are met for a few months.
"Recently we received 40,000 pairs of socks," says Kendall Giilk, the Principal Gift Specialist with Siloam Mission in Winnipeg. "That came about through truly divine timing through Sock Rocket and the Manitoba Nurses Union."
Sock Rocket is a Canadian company based out of Calgary, AB.
"The company works on this really beautiful model that for every pair of funky, custom socks purchased, they donate three pairs to a community-serving organization. The Manitoba Nurses Union purchased some custom socks from Sock Rocket for Nurse Appreciation Week and named Siloam Mission as the donation recipient."
Interestingly, Giilk reached out to the company around roughly the same time to inquire because of the urgent need for socks, which then the company upped the donation to 40,000 pairs of socks sent to the non-profit.
"This means we're able to meet the need of the community. At Siloam, we budget ourselves for 120 pairs of socks and underwear given out each day. The need is actually greater. We often run out halfway through each day. Many days we don't have any socks in the building at all."
The Importance of New Socks
The highest request for people experiencing homelessness, or finding themselves in need of Siloam's services, is new socks.
"It's kind of two-fold, the impact socks have. It's self-comfort and dignity. We live in Manitoba, and I'm sure we've all gone with shoes and no socks, and then gotten blisters. Without proper socks, we've gotten cold toes or even frostbite. They are essential survival items in Manitoba."
There's another aspect of well-being that Giilk sees when a person gets a clean pair of socks to wear.
"When someone has their basic needs met, like clean, warm socks and clean underwear, they have a greater capacity to take that next step. If that's a job interview or housing appointment, it gives them the space to think about other things and take that next step."
Anyone interested in donating new socks or underwear, particularly women's small and medium, can connect with Siloam Mission or drop them off at 300 Princess Street.
"Socks are in demand 365 days a year," says Giilk. "This sock donation is a really beautiful example of businesses, nurses, and community organizations coming together to answer the call. I love the idea that there might be a nurse at Health Science Centre wearing those custom nurse socks, and they are caring for one of our community members who are wearing the donated socks. That they are overlapping."