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Sox in the CityVancouver Coastal Health launched its annual Sox in the City campaign on December 2nd to gather and distribute new socks to people in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Dry warm feet are a must as the wet winter weather arrives in Vancouver. Nowhere is this need greater than in the Downtown Eastside where many people have infected lesions and abscesses on their feet and toes, caused by walking as many as 20 miles a day in ill-fitting shoes and no socks. “From our experiences we know that a clean, new pair of socks will last a homeless person just three days,” said Sonja Sinclair, program co-ordinator, VCH Health Contact Centre. “That means we need to have at least 52,000 pairs of clean socks on hand to see us through the year.” Meeting basic foot-care needs is a priority for Health Contact Centre staff. On a busy day, as many as 70 people come to the centre every day to soak their feet in a warm tub of water laced with Epsom salts. Once their feet are dry, they also get foot powder, bandages, if needed, and a clean pair of socks. The centre is a first point of contact for many homeless people in the Downtown Eastside into Vancouver Coastal Health’s programs and services. The drop-in centre, located just off the corner of Main and Hastings, offers basic health care as well as safe refuge. When can I donate socks? Sox in the City runs until January 31st What kinds of socks do you need? Clients at the Health Contact Centre prefer to receive white cotton, adult male-type sports socks. Where can I make a donation? To donate socks, look for the big, red SoxBox at the following locations:
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