The Action Team, a Carver-based organization, is hosting its third sock drive to collect new socks for homeless people across the country.
WATD’s Lenny Rowe files this report:
Special Plympton Police Officer Laicey Ieronimo is organizing the drive, and has collected more than 4,000 pairs of socks in two years. So far, the current drive has collected close to 1,000 pairs of socks.
She founded The Action Team four years ago, while a junior at Carver High School.
“It’s something that may slip people’s mind, because who really thinks about socks all that often, and people that might not have them? The Joy of Socks actually spreads the message that socks can sometimes be more important than food. It’s very important to a homeless person’s health to have dry feet and new socks so that they aren’t getting more sick – especially in the winter months,” said Ieronimo. “I’m big on the saying ‘even a small act of kindness can make the biggest impact.’ Something as little as a sock can really change somebody’s life.”
Ieronimo collected more than 3,000 socks in last year’s drive, and drove six hours to deliver them to The Joy of Socks in Pennsylvania. The organization donates socks to homeless people across the country. They say that socks are the most-needed article of clothing, as new socks are rarely donated.
“It was definitely a lot,” said Ieronimo.
“I think I dedicated a whole weekend back at the beginning of this year to count and label all of the socks. It was just crazy. It was a whole different story trying to get them to fit into my car. It worked out, and I couldn’t be more happy with the outcome. I’m hoping for a better outcome this year and can’t wait to get started.”
Collection boxes will be set up at the Plympton and Carver Police Departments, the Carver Elementary School, and the Carver Middle/High School.
People can donate on Venmo (@LaiceyIeronimo), or she can coordinate pickups.
“I think it’s important to put others first. No matter how hard you may have it, somebody else is always going to have it worse,” said Ieronimo. “If you can lighten their burden a little bit, and be the change, or be the light in somebody’s life – I think you should.”
More information and future events can be found at Theactionteamorganization.com.