Couple pairs up to donate thousands of socks to Canadians experiencing homelessness

A New Brunswick couple has paired up to help keep the feet of Canadians without a home safe and warm this winter.

Putting his socks on one foot at a time, is something Dwayne Hayes of Fredericton, New Brunswick once took for granted.

“You can put a new pair of socks on the next morning and the next morning after that,” said Hayes, who is taking over the national 20K Sock Day initiative with his wife Jenn Hayes.

But after getting involved in the grassroot movement, started by a close friend in Ontario, he started seeing socks as “saviours”.

“For someone who is homeless, they will wear those socks until they are worn out. They don’t have a dresser to use to find their fancy socks,” said Hayes.

Hayes said that 20K Sock Day started back in 2019 and is a national initiative that encourages people in communities across Canada to collect and donate new socks for people without a home.

“The premise is quite simple. Put a bin out, collect socks and deliver them to homeless shelters in your area. Then just report back to us the number of socks you have collected,” said Hayes.

Last year, New Brunswickers collected more than half of the 20,000+ pairs collected nationally, thanks to the efforts of the sock ambassadors.

“To be able to ensure that the most vulnerable population has warm and dry feet during the coldest months of the year, we are really happy to be part of that, and are looking forward to see it grow all over the country,” said Jenn Hayes.

The ‘sock couple’, as they’ve become known, are encouraging local businesses across Canada to set up collection boxes.

Markus MacIntyre works for O’Hickey’s Irish Pub in Fredericton, where the pub has set up a sock collection box after being inspired by the couple.

“Giving back the smallest things as a community – we can have a powerful impact,” said MacIntyre.

The sock couple are hoping that donors across the country will pull up their socks too and donate as many pairs as possible before the campaign wraps up at the end of February.

“You know hypothermia is a big concern, but I also think that it makes them feel valued that people care about them,” said Jenn Haynes.

Communities looking to collect and track sock donations for 20K Sock Day and register the numbers of pairs collected on 20K Sock Day’s social media page.