Manufacturer Donates Socks to British Columbia Homeless April 8, 2005
Communities in Action Michael Bloomfield, the leader of a Victoria, British Columbia environmental foundation, convinced Canada's largest sock manufacturer, McGregor Socks, to donate 6,500 pairs of socks to a homeless program, the Associated Press reported on March 31."I just looked on the Internet. ... I sent a letter and followed it up with a phone call and just kept the chairman on the phone until we had a yes," said Bloomfield of his simple but effective strategy. "I would like to think that we live in a society that would help those in need."
There are approximately 700 chronically homeless people in Victoria, officials said.
Along with the news of Bloomfield's accomplishment comes the announcement of a $17.2 million program ($21 million in Canadian dollars) designed to enhance current services for the homeless in British Columbia's major cities, including counseling, job training, mental health and addiction treatment.
"The request for socks by kids on the street is right up there with food and beverages," said Betty Buruck, an outreach counselor at a local YM-YWCA.
