The Sock Care Package Project

Today’s post is a bit different than the usual: it is something I wanted to do for a while now, and thought it good to make it into a community project too. It is called the Sock Care Package Project. I want my children to grow up knowing we do try to make a difference, even if it seems to be a small difference, teaching them to care!

Here in South Africa, we have a lot of needy people since our non-employment rate is so high. It is not uncommon to find beggars at traffic lights, waiting for cars to stop and then to come to the window asking for money or food. These beggars differ in race, gender and age. It is so sad to see mothers sitting with their little children next to a busy road for a whole day, waiting on people to be kind and help in some way.  These photos I snapped this morning, and this is only one intersection.

   
We often give them money or buy food for them, but I know it is not the solution. One can look at it as encouraging them to stay needy, not giving them an option to get out of their situation. As much as I would like to change it for them, it is just not possible. To help in a small way: donating food, clothes or money, I believe does make a difference, showing there is still kind people in this hard world.

Now, you can agree or not agree with the way I am thinking, but if you do disagree, may I ask: what do YOU do to make a difference?

Let me explain how this project works. You decide how much you are willing to spend each week/month. You need to buy thick socks(preferably unisex), and non perishable food. A few suggestions(keeping in mind that not all needy people have access to a can opener, stove, pot, cooking utensils etc.):

• Food in a can/tin food of the self opening kind(soup, baked beans, vegetables, spagetti, fish, tuna, viennas etc.)
• Dried fruit
• Crackers of nutritional value
• Long life milk
• Plastic eating utensils
• Soap
• Cream/Vaseline 
• Tissues
• Toothbrush/paste

This is a photo of some of the suggested items.

   
Use thick socks, the “fit all” type(adding the other sock right at the top of the package to “close” it up and to make the socks useable). The longer the sock, the more items you can fit. Older kids might enjoy helping with this step. Here are some examples of how to fill the sock:

 You can decide if you want to keep these in your car and hand them out when you do see beggars on the street. Or you might choose to take it to a shelter/orphanage. Either way, you can making a difference in someone’s life, even if it seems so minuscule. 
You do not need to commit to this project, but we do have a Facebook Group to share some ideas/uplifting stories and to keep us accountable. Feel free to join and invite others too.

Let’s care, even if it is one sock package at a time!