Senate pushes ‘sock drawer’ intiative

Staff Writer

Emma Dillon and Student Senate secretary Brody O’Connor have co-founded “the Sock Drawer”, a drive focused on providing socks to those in need.

The Sock Drawer started from Dillon and O’Connor’s desires to get involved in helping the community. “We were just kind of brainstorming and it came up as an idea.” said Dillon. “This is the perfect season to do it because people need warm socks for the winter.”

Dillon explained that often, socks are taken for granted because they are not looked at as a necessity. “A lot of people have to focus their funds on more important things such as food or shelter to the point where they can’t afford to buy socks because their money is being placed elsewhere”, Dillon said, “Socks are often overlooked in a typical clothing drive because they have to be donated new… so I think it’s really important to get [new] socks for people in need of it.”

The sock drive is will start on Nov. 2 and run until Nov. 31.

The pair plans to put donation bins in banks and churches, targeting the inner cities of Troy and Albany. They also plan to launch a campus-based collection to allow students to participate in donating to the cause here at Hudson Valley as well.

“What we have to do is get people to donate new socks, then we are going to distribute them to local food pantries, homeless shelters, churches and then anyone else in the school who needs it.” stated Dillon.

In the past, the Student Senate has taken on other community service operatives. In the 30 Days of Giving Campaign, Student Senate members, along with the Entrepreneurs club, provided aid for a day in Staten Island during the rebuilding period after Hurricane Sandy hit in October 2012. The senate also runs the food pantry where students are able receive up to two bags of food a month.

The senate still utilizes the community service committee and participates in projects throughout the area. “I’m going with Erika Pelletier and the community service committee and we’re painting rooms in a new orphanage for children, so that’s really exciting,” mentioned Dillon.