The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) is kicking off its annual SOCKtober program, a sock drive during October designed to provide socks for children participating in CCE’s Holiday Helper program. The initiative will also be donating extra adult socks to Home Sweet Home Ministries.
During October, new socks in their original packaging can be dropped off at the CCE (300 West North Street, Normal) during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Donation drop boxes can also be found across campus, including in residence hall lobbies, the Multicultural Center (301 South Main Street, Campus, Normal), the Stevenson Center (435 Stevenson Hall), and the Student Involvement Center (227 Bone Student Center). Alternatively, socks can be purchased via Amazon Wish List and mailed directly to the CCE.
Originating in 2021, SOCKtober started when CCE staff noticed that socks were the most requested item in the center’s Holiday Helper program, an annual effort to provide gifts to children in the local community during the holiday season. The SOCKtober drive ensures that every child sponsored by the program receives this basic necessity, allowing both children and sponsors to focus on other items from their wish lists.
“We have been able to provide an increasing number of socks to local children, and we could not do it without the generosity of student groups, campus departments, and the whole ISU community,” said Afiwa TETE, assistant director of cocurricular programs at the CCE. “People might not realize, but socks are so important in preventing health conditions such as frostbite, fungal infections, and poor circulation, especially during the winter season.”
All types, styles, and sizes of socks, from infant to adult, are welcome. The most requested sock types in the program include men’s and women’s athletic socks; boys’ size medium socks; and thick, warm socks for the winter. The initiative encourages everyone to participate in any way they can.
To raise awareness for SOCKtober, the “Fun Sock Friday” campaign encourages faculty, staff, and students at Illinois State University to wear fun socks on Fridays during the month of October and share pictures and videos on social media with the hashtag #FunSockFriday, tagging the Center for Civic Engagement pages (@RedbirdImpact) to receive a shoutout.
