Warm Soles
Warm Soles is Currently Accepting Letters for our Letter Writing Campaign with Mission Services Hamilton!
Participating is super easy and everyone is welcome. For more information and detailed instructions, please click here. For more information regarding Mission Services Hamilton please click here.
A sample letter template can be found here, however we encourage you to make your own. Please sign up or indicate your interest with this form. The deadline for this event is March 12th, so please get your letters in before then!
Letter Writing Project
The challenges of COVID-19 have prompted us to expand into a new initiative – warming souls through writing short letters to our community members experiencing homelessness. So far, we have partnered with Mission Services Hamilton and Haven Toronto. By writing to the folks accessing services at these shelters, we can spread some light and show them they are cared about. We are also exploring partnerships with other local shelters- stay tuned. So far, we have coordinated, delivered over 60 letters which have been positively received and fostered valuable connection. We are working towards another letter drop off for Valentine’s Day.
HOW TO HELP:
We have already partnered with several program societies and student groups and are always looking for new collaborations. If you’re interested in working together or volunteering as an individual, please email us at warmsoles@opirgmcmaster.org.
Socks may seem like a simple, ubiquitous item of clothing. However, for people experiencing street homelessness, they can be a vital form of protection from potentially debilitating foot problems. More than 20% of medical problems suffered by individuals experiencing homelessness are feet related; including impetigo, skin breakdown, frostbite, infections and trench foot. Many people experiencing homelessness spend most or all of their time outdoors. They rely on walking to access services including shelter, meals, and medical care. Since few laundry facilities are available to them, these individuals do not often get to change their socks, which get dirty and threadbare and do not properly protect their feet. As a result, clean and proper socks are a coveted and important article of clothing at clothing banks, yet they are the least donated items.
Sock Drive Project
Warm Soles aims to address this serious problem with a grassroots approach; so far we have collected 125 pairs of men’s socks and donated them to the Good Shepherd Hamilton. Before COVID-19, we had coin jars and sock boxes in the Arts & Sciences program headquarters (LRW 3038) and in the OPIRG space, and we sold buttons and reusable straws. Future events to raise funds and awareness will include sock cookie decorating, a movie night, raffle, and more, and we look forward to developing partnerships with other groups and organizations on campus and beyond.
