Each night in Hillsborough County, an estimated 1,600 unsheltered homeless are forced to live on the streets. Many unsheltered people rarely take their shoes off. They walk often and don’t always have laundry facilities at close reach. Clean socks are a reliably top-requested item at homeless shelters.
This October, Sacred Heart wishes to show that even a small act of love, such as donating a pair of socks, can make a big difference in the lives of our homeless neighbors.
Located in both the Sacred Heart Gift and Book Store as well as the church will be a pair of donation bins for “Socktober,” a month-long drive addressing this critical need. Socktober is a now international campaign that was started in 2011 when creator Brad Montague realized there was a large homeless population in his hometown, and he wanted to do something about it. While researching the needs of the homeless community, he learned that socks are the items least donated to homeless shelters. Since then, Socktober has exploded! Kids and adults around the world have started their own sock drives to benefit their local homeless shelters.
Socktober donations may be made at all weekend Masses, or at the Gift and Book Store during weekday store hours throughout the month of October. Packages of new socks in adult sizes will be accepted. Our goal is to reach 1600 pairs, with the socks being distributed to the Tampa Hope homeless shelter, our Hands of Hope ministry, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
*This page will be updated with status updates from our drive as the month progresses. Thank you for your generosity in donating, and Happy Socktober!
