student at James Island Charter High School. I started a community service project in April, 2015. I wanted to collect & donate something needed by the homeless and those with limited income, so I looked at the list of items needed at Fifth Street Ministries in Statesville, NC and chose socks. I originally had a goal of collecting 1,000 pairs of socks by the end of April. I was amazed that within
the first 2 weeks collecting, I had reached and exceeded my goal through generous donations from neighbors and friends. I spoke at my grandparent’s church in Hickory about my project. After I spoke, a man came up to me and told me a story that I will never forget. He said that he used to prepare bodies for burial at a funeral home. He once prepared a homeless man's body. This man had always walked with a limp. Upon attempting to remove the shoes from his body, he realized the skin on the bottom of his foot had attached itself to the sole of his shoe because he had no socks, and that is why he had walked with a limp. It made me realize the importance and need for socks for the homeless and I wanted to continue this by creating a community service organization as my 10th grade project at SIHS. I think this is something that I can continue for years to come. To date, Chloe’s Socks for Souls has donated 4,000 pairs of socks to various places including Mooresville Soup Kitchen, 5th Street Ministries, My Sister’s House, Special Treasures, Angels and Sparrows in Huntersville, Crisis Assistance Ministries in Charlotte and Hands N Feet Foundation. I have realized how much, even in the summer months that white cotton socks are needed for men, women and children. The homeless are in dire need of socks. They need socks ALL YEAR, not just during the holiday season or winter months. I want to continue to collect and donate socks to the homeless. I always welcome donations, either from individuals or groups that would like to do a sock drive. I have plans to donate to a few orphanages in Columbia and Ecuador through a neighbor who has offered to pay for shipping, and I would like to give back to The Odd Sock in Davidson who collects and donates gently used socks to orphans and homeless in Romania. If you have gently used socks stuffed in a drawer that you never wear, consider donating because just one pair can make a difference to someone! I can pick up donations or arrange to meet in the Charleston, SC area or would gladly help anyone start a sock drive in their community, business, school or church. Chloe Gigliotti, 704-775-6087 [email protected]