Two Charitable Things
Posted on October 1, 2008 Posted by John Scalzi 10 Comments
Two people I know are pimping charities recently, so here’s a shoutout to them:
1. My pal Chad Orzel is trying to raise $6K for DonorsChoose, an educational charity, and he’s willing to dance like a monkey for your pleasure in exchange for your cash. Go here for all the details.
2. Mary Robinette Kowal is trying to help a friend who needs socks for at-risk teens. Yes, socks. Don’t laugh: it sucks not to have them, especially when everything else in your would has turned to crap. So if you’ve got socks to spare, here’s a place they can go. (Quick Update, 10:44am: MRK’s site is a bit glitchy at the moment, so if you can’t get through, try again a little later. Even Quicker Update, 1:18pm: MRK says it’s fixed)
Helping either of these would be a fine way to start your October.
Might I say that for people who are on the street or in other dire circumstances, socks take on a form of currency. If you’re going to donate any kind of clothes to a charity, I’ll guarantee you that clean socks are at the top of the “Most Wanted” list.
Thanks for putting this up, John. The need is great, and will most likely grow in this strange economy.
Our Sunday evening meals (open to anyone) in Minneapolis has a clothes give-away, too. The socks and white tee shirts are always the first thing to go.
BTW, we have a local charity, Children’s Home Society and Family Services of Minnesota, which collects suitcases and duffel bags for kids in foster care. Otherwise, when the kids are moved all of their stuff is put in garbage bags. That makes a lovely picture, doesn’t it?
I think I’ve gotten my site thing straightened out. Thank you for linking to the sock drive.
John, thanks for this. I’m making a trip to Kmart this afternoon, and will stock up on some socks and toothbrushes/toothpaste to send as soon as possible. Makes me happy. I wonder if they’d like receiving some handknit hats and scarves, too? I have an enormous stash of wool yarn and never enough people in need of small items I can make.
John, thanks so much for picking this up! I really appreciate it, and so do the punks…especially because Indiana has just decided to plunk us full-fledged into fall weather.
Lene, I’m sure hats and scarves would go over really well, too! Thanks!!!
And a huge THANK YOU to each one of you who makes a donation, either to my group, or to one in your own hometown!
Lene: I’d go for knit socks. You can wear a dirty hat or scarf for months, but socks wear out QUICK if you’re walking a lot and don’t necessarily have a fresh clean pair every day. Yah, wool socks are a lil’ itchy, but they’ll stay warm when your cheap shoes soak through.
I like punks and socks!
I can only echo the sentiment – for people on the street, socks and undies are critical. If you can’t do laundry, and you are walking a lot, and sweating, and getting pelted by rain and walking through puddles, you absolutely need these kinds of things.
Also, for crafty folks, one nice thing is to take a pair of socks, fill it with toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant and other toiletries, and then donate it.
Eric, I’d go for the knit socks if I thought I could make them fairly quickly, but my sock-knitting skillz are not mad enough as yet. I do love the feel of handknit wool socks, though, and you’re right about the warmth factor. They stay warm even if your feet get wet, which is nice.
As it is, I think I’ll be sending two pkgs. out — the store-bought stuff first, then a later pkg. with some handknit stuff. I’m a slow knitter. (Just ask my mom, who is still waiting on a silk poncho I’ve been knitting for longer than I care to confess. It’s John Scalzi’s fault! Really. I’ve spent time reading when I should have been knitting. That’s my story.)
#6: Wool socks don’t have to be itchy (unless one is allergic, but that’s a different issue). Some of my most comfortable socks are wool! There are so many different kinds of wool, some of which are extremely soft and yummy. (merino FTW!)
Lene: The whole reason I bought an ebook reader was so I could knit and read at the same time (just simple projects that don’t require looking very often) the thing is awesome. It stays open by itself so my hands can be busy working on whatever.