The MGH Institute community is helping people put their best foot forward with two recent drives to collect socks and shoes. From March 3-14, students, faculty, and staff dropped off 107 pairs of socks and 36 pairs of new and gently used shoes for two local organizations. 

The socks collected in the third annual Sock Drive will be donated to The Boston Healthcare for the Homeless, an organization that provides care to individuals experiencing homelessness in the Boston area. Their mission is to deliver high-quality healthcare to those in need, offering services such as medical care, mental health support, substance use treatment and emergency shelter. 

Patti Peterson, OT, MPH, OTR, a clinical education placement and systems associate in the Department of Occupational Therapy spearheaded the sock drive. 

“The donated socks are so important in protecting the feet of those underhoused in our community,” said Peterson. “They are one of the most requested items for people experiencing homelessness.”

The Shoe Drive was new this year and benefitted Soles4Souls, a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting poverty and promoting sustainability through the collection and distribution of shoes.  Like the sock drive, the shoes were collected in Shouse and 1CW. The shoes will be donated to families affected by the devastating wildfires in California, offering both practical relief and a sense of support during challenging times.

Human Resources Specialist Natalie Lewis brought the idea for the shoe drive for Soles4Souls to the Community Service Committee this year. 

“As someone who does not like to throw things away if at all possible, I thought it would be a nice to ask people around for shoes they no longer need that are still in good condition,” said Lewis. “I was able to find eight pairs of shoes I no longer need and can give to someone else who needs them. It means a lot to me that we were able to reduce waste and give shoes another life.”