Sock donations for the homeless are being accepted by the student-run mentoring group, Peer 2 Peer, in the Associated Students Organization building through March 31.
The socks will be donated to the Midnight Mission in Downtown Los Angeles. The Service Committee was told by the Mission that socks are the most needed necessity, according to Volunteer Committee Lead, Jessica Campbell.
The Service Committee is a sub-group of Peer 2 Peer, whose objective is to find ways to give back to the community.
Raising money would be easier but the paperwork involved with cash makes it more challenging and the process would have to begin in December. However, there is no paperwork required for sock donations, according to volunteer committee member, Joe Hernandez.
The homeless will walk around with dirty shoes and no socks, making it very easy to get infected with bacteria that will cause odor and infections such as fungus. Socks are an easy and effective way for everybody to donate and help, according to Hernandez.
“When you buy socks, they come in pairs of six. You can give one up so someone can have a pair of socks,” Hernandez said.
Part of the goal of the Peer 2 Peer donation program is to get students at Pierce involved and make them aware the struggle homeless face, such as not having a single pair of decent socks, according to multiple volunteers.
“Why in the ASO lounge area? It’s because we want this area to be known that we exist as a Peer 2 Peer mentoring program, we are part of the Student Engagement office,” Madueno said.
The Student Engagement Center is located underneath the library, where you can also find peer mentors and tutoring along with other programs that fulfill student’s needs. Donation boxes have been set up in the ASO lounge as an attempt to get more exposure and encourage students to donate.
The mission receives many donations including coats, blankets, and food. However, the most often essential and overlooked item is socks.
The homeless will walk around with dirty shoes and no socks, making it very easy to get infected with bacteria that will cause odor and infections such as fungus.
There are fifteen mentors total in Peer 2 Peer and only 4 make up the Service Committee. All the events planned by any specific committee is a group effort from all fifteen mentors. They come together as a family according to program coordinator, Diana Madueno.
Paperwork is only needed for money donations. No approval or paperwork is necessary for sock donations.
