A small caravan of Harcum College employees recently traveled to Phoenixville to deliver 790 pairs of new socks, which were collected during Socktober, the college’s month-long drive to collect socks for the homeless.

The socks were dropped off at a warehouse operated by The Joy of Sox, a nonprofit founded 10 years ago by Radnor resident Tom Costello Jr. His wife, Nancy, is also actively involved and serves on the board.

The Costellos presented a certificate of appreciation to Harcum representatives Bernadette Walsh, Fran Salvacion, and Gale Martin. (Coincidentally, Nancy Costello was Walsh’s third-grade teacher, and although the two hadn’t seen each other in the intervening years, they used the moment of serendipity to catch up.)

Sock boxes were located throughout the college’s Bryn Mawr Campus, and some members of the Harcum community bought socks online and sent them directly to The Joy of Sox.

“We were thrilled to take up a collection of new socks for The Joy of Sox,” said Walsh, who coordinated the drive. “It is such a meaningful cause, and though we can’t solve all the problems in the world, this is something we can do for people experiencing homelessness.”

At 790 pairs, the quantity of socks contributed by the Harcum community far exceeded the initial goal of 500 pairs.

“We are so grateful for the generosity of the Harcum community during this time of profound need,” the Costellos said.

The Costellos gave the Harcum contingent a tour of their warehouse. A small group of volunteers observing CDC protocols were sorting and packing socks. Metal racks were stacked against the walls, filled with purple bags full of new socks and ready to be delivered to some 202 facilities in the Greater Philadelphia area or shipped to far-flung corners of the country, like Hawaii or the tip of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.

The Costellos’ goal is to give everyone experiencing homelessness six new pairs of socks each year.

Tom Costello said that socks are desperately needed by the homeless. While people are willing to wear second-hand clothes, second-hand socks aren’t suitable for wear.

The Joy of Sox now distributes approximately 87,000 pairs of socks per year. Since 2010, it has distributed nearly half a million pairs. Besides collecting, sorting, and packing socks, volunteers are also needed to deliver sock bags to homeless shelters and food pantries.

Tom Costello reported that they typically receive an abundance of donations around the holidays and not nearly as many during other times in the year. So, he requested that state officials declare Valentine’s Day as National Socks for the Homeless Day, to increase donations.

Click here to learn more about The Joy of Sox.

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