Sock Drive Being Held 11/19 at Phoenixville Famers Market

On Saturday, November 19th, Christy Baxter will be at the Phoenixville Farmers Market collecting socks for the homeless.

Do you have a sock drawer at home? The homeless don’t!

Think about it. When your clothes wear out you probably donate them to a good cause. What about your socks? They are probably so worn that they get trashed. Homeless rarely get donations of new socks.

How often do you change your socks? Imagine having to wear them 24/7 until then are completely threadbare? What would that be like? You probably would have blisters, open sores, infections or worse. Gangrene may develop; that can lead to amputation. Not good.

Many put plastic bags over their sock to keep out moisture and cold, but they also keep the foot damp, causing minor to major health complications.

How many homeless? According to HUD (2009): New York 47,434. Philly 5,798. DC 5,907. They are in a city near you.

Moose, homeless in San Antonio, says he gets jackets and shirts at a distribution place, but never socks.

Andreá who runs a facility in NYC said the number one thing her clients ask for are clean socks.

Who knew socks were so important, so vital…and yet, so scarce.

As Thanksgiving draws near, please consider helping the homeless by purchasing and donating some new socks for their use this winter.

Look for Christy Baxter and "The Joy of Sox" logo at the 11/19 Phoenixville Farmer's Market, rain or shine, and she can take your donation of new socks.

New socks ONLY! Not used -- even gently. The homeless rarely get anything new, so this gift of new socks is a real treat. And, the non-profit The Joy of Sox does not have a large enough facility to launder donations. In cold weather and with inadequate footgear, a leading health issue for the homeless is infections and issues with their feet. So, brand-new, clean socks can make a real difference.

The ideal socks are white crew socks or tube socks with a reinforced toe and heel. You can purchase these in multi-packs at large stores such as Target, Costco, BJ's, Kmart, etc. Adult sizes and children's sizes are needed.

If you aren't able to come and drop some new socks off at The Phoenixville Farmer's Market, you can contact Christy to arrange to mail or drop them by her home in Phoenixville. Want to help financially? Visit www.thejoyofsox.org and click "donate here."

Read more about this amazing organization, and it's creator, Tom Costello, at www.thejoyofsox.org.