Socks, and tooth brushes

applecruncher

applecruncher

SF VIP
Location
Ohio USA
It's cold here this morning. I was thinking about how lucky most of us are. Warm clean bed, hygiene supplies, nice breakfast.

I hear the most needed item in homeless shelters is socks. Later this week I'm gonna buy several large packages of socks, also some toothbrushes and toothpaste and take them to a shelter, or call Salvation Army and ask where to take them.

Anyone else want to join me and do something similar? Deodorant and hand lotion also good idea, but DEFINITELY the socks.

:)
 

Last night on local news they interviewed the fella that runs the local homeless shelter and also hands out Thanksgiving food baskets for those families in need and he mentioned that they had plenty of instant mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, canned gravy and sweet potatoes etc but they were short on turkeys.

Mama and I realize that compared to many, many folks we are very fortunate so we made up our minds last night to go and purchase a turkey or two this morning and drop them off.
 
On November 17th the boy scouts come by and collect any food items you wish to donate. They ask for any canned goods and non-perishable food items. They then give them to Philabundance which gives it to Food banks of Delaware,New Jersey,and Pennsylvania. I've already filled 2 cartoons.
 

Socks are definitely one of the most needed/requested items. The Walmart in our county happens to have a large homeless encampment behind it. I just saw someone post on FB last week that that Walmart has had to put men`s socks and underwear locked up behind glass due to theft. If you wish to purchase these items,you have to wait for an associate to assist you and they have to take your items up to the cashier for you. Crazy. Women`s undergarments and socks,so far,remain unlocked.
 
applecruncher said:
It's cold here this morning. I was thinking about how lucky most of us are. Warm clean bed, hygiene supplies, nice breakfast.

I hear the most needed item in homeless shelters is socks. Later this week I'm gonna buy several large packages of socks, also some toothbrushes and toothpaste and take them to a shelter, or call Salvation Army and ask where to take them.

Anyone else want to join me and do something similar? Deodorant and hand lotion also good idea, but DEFINITELY the socks.

:)
Click to expand...

I saw this this morning. I've had 8 pairs of Darn Tough Vermont socks in my dresser for a couple of years that I bought off of Amazon because they are supposed to last forever. But I never wear then because they are too tight. I bought the XL size too, but they still leave marks on my legs like I've had a tourniquet on them. The Damned things were expensive too. I've tried to salvage them by stretching them out over half gallon plastic bottles and leaving them like that for days but they just snap right back. But when I saw your post this morning I googled homeless shelters and found one called the Waterfront Mission and brought them down there along with a pair of gloves and a couple of jackets that I also never wear. Maybe someone who has feet smaller than my 11 EE's can use the socks.
 
@Mrs R

Interesting. I'm planning on a Walmart trip this week, then I'll not go near there until way after Christmas. I recall seeing large packs of socks at Walmart and also dollar stores.
 
Good suggestion, jujube.

Food is provided by pantries, churches, soup kitchens, private donations, etc.

But socks, underwear, basic hygiene are often overlooked. Those things are so important to having dignity and feeling like a human being.
 
Trade said:
I saw this this morning. I've had 8 pairs of Darn Tough Vermont socks in my dresser for a couple of years that I bought off of Amazon because they are supposed to last forever. But I never wear then because they are too tight. I bought the XL size too, but they still leave marks on my legs like I've had a tourniquet on them. The Damned things were expensive too. I've tried to salvage them by stretching them out over half gallon plastic bottles and leaving them like that for days but they just snap right back. But when I saw your post this morning I googled homeless shelters and found one called the Waterfront Mission and brought them down there along with a pair of gloves and a couple of jackets that I also never wear. Maybe someone who has feet smaller than my 11 EE's can use the socks.
Click to expand...

aawww
:love_heart:

:clap:

(I looked up Darn Tough Vermont socks; they ARE expensive)
 
Last edited:
Great thread!

I bought some winter hats and gloves last spring on the clearance table to drop off at the local mission this winter.

On our local news the other night they had an appeal for feminine hygiene products and also diapers for infants.

The need seems to get bigger and the list of items people need seems to get longer every year, so much for low unemployment and a booming economy.
 
IKE said:
Last night on local news they interviewed the fella that runs the local homeless shelter and also hands out Thanksgiving food baskets for those families in need and he mentioned that they had plenty of instant mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, canned gravy and sweet potatoes etc but they were short on turkeys.

Mama and I realize that compared to many, many folks we are very fortunate so we made up our minds last night to go and purchase a turkey or two this morning and drop them off.
Click to expand...

We do it every thanksgiving and Christmas, then whenever the opportunity presents itself.

We found, when providing a turkey, or any large meat item, it's best to provide it cooked, or baked...not always, but usually.
 
Through my daughter, we usually give to a Women's Shelter. We choose names and each give a package of whatever the
person has on their list. It's usually necessities. One year, the person we chose wanted only slippers. We added a few other items as well.
 
Gary O' said:
We do it every thanksgiving and Christmas, then whenever the opportunity presents itself.

We found, when providing a turkey, or any large meat item, it's best to provide it cooked, or baked...not always, but usually.
Click to expand...

We purchased and dropped off two uncooked 14+ pound frozen turkeys this morning and the shelter was very appreciative.

Apparently the way it works, to keep the A-Holes that have the funds to purchase their own but just want to get a free food basket, is that the family needing help gets a chit of some sort from DHS verifying that they do in fact need help and are authorized to pick up a food basket, their name is also put on a list at the shelter and then their name is scratched off when they show the chit and their ID and pick up their food basket.

Hopefully with our donation there will now be a couple of families that will have a real Thanksgiving dinner and will be able to feed their kids and themselves a turkey dinner as opposed to just eating hot dogs or baloney sandwhiches.

Mama and I plan to make this a regular yearly donation from here on out.
 
IKE said:
We purchased and dropped off two uncooked 14+ pound frozen turkeys this morning and the shelter was very appreciative.

Apparently the way it works, to keep the A-Holes that have the funds to purchase their own but just want to get a free food basket, is that the family needing help gets a chit of some sort from DHS verifying that they do in fact need help and are authorized to pick up a food basket, their name is also put on a list at the shelter and then their name is scratched off when they show the chit and their ID and pick up their food basket.

Hopefully with our donation there will now be a couple of families that will have a real Thanksgiving dinner and will be able to feed their kids and themselves a turkey dinner as opposed to just eating hot dogs or baloney sandwhiches.

Mama and I plan to make this a regular yearly donation from here on out.
Click to expand...

Good show, man
 
Here's what I bought and put in a box; took to closest homeless shelter:

2 packs of socks (10 pair in each pack)
6 toothbrushes
6 small (travel size) toothpaste
2 prs toenail clippers
2 pkgs emery boards
2 small hand sanitizers
2 deodorants
2 small hand lotions (purse size)

(these folks don't have cars, luggage, or ways to store/transport things easily so I put some extra plastic bags in the box)

Total: $58

I feel good about it, and imo it's better than tossing a few $$ in the Salvation Army bell ringer bucket. :)
 
I find it strange that the items that are requested for the homeless (socks, tooth brushes), are the same items requested for packages being sent to our service members overseas.
 
Oldguy said:
I find it strange that the items that are requested for the homeless (socks, tooth brushes), are the same items requested for packages being sent to our service members overseas.
Click to expand...

Not really strange at all. Those are items that are needed and which most people don't think about giving. As the saying goes "Man doesn't live by bread alone." People need things other than food.
 
I would "cautiously" caution people to be careful about opportunities to donate items to US service personnel.

As an example, a few years ago a chain "dollar-type" store here was urging shoppers to buy a pair of their boots (around $50 IIRC) and then donate them back at the checkout counter to be sent to a serviceman overseas. In return the shopper would receive some sort of store merchandise gift card. As it happens, my career Navy son had recently been complaining about the boots he had to wear for work. The flight decks of aircraft carriers are covered with an aggressive non-skid material that's really hard on footwear and the Chinese-made "regulation" boots they are required to wear weren't holding up well. But ... the Navy, understandably, is quite strict about sailors having to use "regulation" gear while on duty and non-regulation substitutions are generally not permitted. (We're a Navy family, but I'll bet that this applies to all branches of US military service.)

I seriously doubt that any of those boots so generously donated by well-meaning shoppers ever made it to the feet of an active duty service man or woman.

Military service is not a particularly well paid profession. It can often seem thankless, and the men and women who serve appreciate any expression of appreciation from the public. But there are a lot of scams out there. Just try to check to see that anything you donate has a reasonable chance of reaching the intended recipients.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top