RSVP 55+ volunteer program is holding its 12th annual Lots of Socks & More drive Oct. 8 to Nov. 15. Donation boxes decorated in this year’s “Sock Hop” theme are located in libraries, businesses, and churches throughout Jefferson, Rippey, Grand Junction, Scranton, Paton, and Churdan, at Medicap Pharmacy and Greene County Medical Center.
Clothing a child today can be expensive, especially for families with a limited budget. Every year, some preschool, elementary and middle school students arrive at school with no socks, socks with holes, socks that do not fit, or wet socks due to lack of good boots. Also needed are underwear for students and diapers and pull-ups for infants and toddlers.
The Lots of Socks & More drive aims to collect socks and underwear for needy children in the county. Last year’s drive netted more than 1,410 items which were distributed by New Opportunities’ Family Development Center. Diapers and pull-ups are also collected for the Greene County Early Learning Center to use as needed.
Families who participate in the winter outerwear distribution and/or the Christmas food basket distribution will receive Lots of Socks and More items. Items will also be provided to the Greene County School and Paton-Churdan School to give out as needed.
Anyone who would prefer to donate monetarily can do so by mailing a check payable to “RSVP Lots of Socks” to the RSVP Volunteer Program, PO Box 104, Jefferson IA 50129. Funds received will be used to purchase items in the sizes needed for distribution.
The Lots of Socks collection drive is an annual project celebrating National Make A Difference Day, when millions of people unite in a common mission to improve the lives of others. This year, Make a Difference Day is Saturday, Oct. 24. RSVP invites Greene County residents to make a difference in the life of a child by donating to this year’s Lots of Socks & More Drive.
For more information about Lots of Socks & More drive and/or the RSVP 55+ Volunteer Program, contact Greene County coordinator Sheilah Pound at 515-370-1099. Hours of access to locations with donation boxes may be limited this year due to the pandemic. Please call Pound to arrange to drop-off donated items if needed.
About RSVP: RSVP is a national non-profit grant-funded agency. Locally, signature RSVP programs include GAP (Grocery Assistance-shopping Program) which provides volunteers to shop for elderly and disabled residents who are unable to get groceries from, store to home; In-Home Visitation Program that connects volunteers with socially-isolated older adults and/or disabled adults to bring them friendship and a connection to the community; Phone Friend that connects volunteers to isolated individuals who prefer to have phone conversations; and Adult Caregiver Respite which places volunteers to visit care recipients so caregivers receive relief of their fulltime caregiving responsibilities for a few hours a week or month. All RSVP programs are offered free to participants.
RSVP also partners to recruit and place volunteers within Greene County Elementary, Regency Park Nursing and Rehab Center, New Opportunities mentoring program, two local hospice agencies, American Red Cross youth disaster preparedness and within the RSVP office. RSVP has started a new volunteer partnership for a pen-pal program in the Paton-Churdan Elementary School.
