THE ORGANIZATIONS WE SERVE
A note from Aliya Khawari, Executive Director:
"There are over 12,000 families living on or below the poverty line in Halton. We are currently serving about 800 or more of these families with food, clothing, basic necessities and referrals to other supports in the community. Every single family that walks through our doors has a different background and a different story to tell.... whether newcomers struggling to start a new life in their new home, a single parent leaving a bad situation, seniors on a fixed income, or families struggling and needing a hand to get back on their feet. We are here to help clients with resources and support to get them through these difficult times.
Socks and underwear are very expensive but a basic need and hardly ever donated new. Everyone needs socks in the winter to keep warm and dry. What about children whose families cannot afford new socks?
The Compassion Society adds the socks we collect to their "Jammies for Families" program
Perhaps the ones they have are holey, or perhaps no socks all - leading
to the risk of getting blisters, sore feet or infections. We all know how comforting a new pair of socks can be. This is one of the least donated items and one of the simplest gifts to give."
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The Compassion Society is open 2 afternoons & 1 evening every week and only closed on recognized holidays. We serve between 60-85 families every day that we are open for food, hygiene items and clothing assistance. We are not government or United Way funded and the community donations keep our doors open. We would love you to review our website to find out more.
Meet Chaplain Roger Boyd, founder of Men’s Street Ministry in Hamilton. Roger shared a little bit of what Men’s Street Ministry does:
"We serve the Hamilton & Brantford communities, providing food & clothing to people experiencing homelessness and to those less fortunate. This includes those in shelters, group homes, subsidized housing and those who live on the street."
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Roger's message for 2022: "If at all possible, we could use 2000 pairs of mens, 1000 pairs of ladies and 300 kids socks. We are totally out of socks. The pandemic really affected us in our collection of socks. We have been out of socks for three months."
Sock are such an important item to those who are exposed the elements. They keep feet warm and dry and free from disease. The average person we serve wears their socks all day every day. Often they don’t have the means to launder them, making them disposable. Therefore, they often require 2 or 3 pairs of socks per weeks in the winter.
Roger Boyd delivering socks in Hamilton
We are honoured to support The Angel Project and Lisette Kingo with Socks for Hope.
The Angel Project serves patients in long-term complex care wards in hospitals throughout SW Ontario. Some of our patients have spent many years inside a hospital, and many of them have been abandoned by family and friends. Hygiene items and comfort items such as socks are often brought in by family and friends which means that our patients will go without. Spending years in a hospital, being sick and confined is bad enough, but being cold and uncomfortable makes things even worse. From Lisette, "Having a pair of warm cozy socks that are your own in that
Lisette Kingo sharing love from The Angel Project
setting is very special. It may not sound like much, but if you’re in a bed, in a room with four beds, and you are the only one that does not have visitors, it is very easy for others to see that you are the “forgotten one."
Having your own socks shows that somebody cared for you, and in addition, they keep you warm! Many of the people who are released from the hospital leave with nothing. We send them with a small hygiene kit including a pair of socks. Socks are a symbol of warmth and caring and it is a reminder that they are not alone."
Wellington Square United Church has become a large support for hundreds in the Burlington community. Here is a note from Lisa Lunski, Director of Community Food Programs:
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"We have about 100-150 guests that visit each week in need of meal support. In addition, we provide emergency meal deliveries for about 40 individuals weekly, twice a week to Bonnies Place, and more emergency deliveries to local motels. We are also the sole provider of food for the Family and Women’s shelter in Burlington that usually houses between 35 and 65 people.
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Socks provide a warm and dry start to the day for so many in need.
We appreciate the men’s socks and also have large demand for more
David Vandenberg (right) for Wellington Square Church with Socks for Hope, Kenra Marchand (left)
women’s this year, because we are supporting the shelter and it is primarily women and children that are living there."
Have you or a loved one been touched by breast cancer? Barb Daize, founder of the Camisole Project, wants you to know you are not alone.
We are honoured to support the Camisole Project with “cozy socks” as you will find they are needed to provide warmth and support in the story that follows.
The Camisole Project is a not for profit organization that helps friends facing a breast cancer diagnosis and surgery with a very special care kit to provide comfort along the way.
The "Because We Care" package includes a post-surgical camisole that will make the days following surgery so much more comfortable, a heart
The Camisole Project, Barb Daize (right) counting socks with Socks for Hope, Sara Rams (left)
shaped pillow for under your arm, a journal and pen, baby wipes, a pairof cozy socks, a pack of Kleenex and last but not least, hand cream, and a toothbrush and toothpaste.
This generous "Because We Care" package is complementary and available to any woman who is having Breast Cancer Surgery at local hospitals including but not limited to Burlington, Oakville , Milton, Hamilton, Mississauga, and the Niagara Region. From Barb, "This is a challenging and life changing experience, and to you we wish so much strength, grace, hope and love."