HOME     ABOUT     NEWS     EVENTS     BLOG     VOLUNTEER     DONATE     LINKS     CONTACT

Since 2003, a group of us in the Sacramento area have dabbled in reaching out to the homeless through various means and events.  For several years we would schedule sporadic outings, plan events, and among other things, we began "Laundry for the Homeless".  In September of 2006 some in this same group started a blog called the "Local Justice Blog" in order to carve out a place online to talk about local and global justice issues in order to learn how to be doers of justice.  Well, through the course of our conversations, and specifically in a blog post entitled "Gloves for the Homeless", we collectively decided  that it would be a good idea to schedule an outing or two to help people on the streets survive the winter with gloves and warmth (note: new blog HERE). Then a couple of months later we put our resources together and partnered with two local churches and pulled off an event known as "Turkey in the Park", which was a full service holiday meal (this was actually the second "Turkey in the Park" event we did).  By the end of 2006, we determined that in 2007 we would make it a point to go out at least once a month.  So Socks & Gloves was born, though in a sense it had existed for several years already. 

It became tradition then for people to show up for events and bring what they could find and what others had donated.  In colder months we had blankets, jackets, sometimes sleeping bags, hot chocolate, gloves, socks, laundry cards etc....  And during warmer months we would bring deodorant, soap, underwear, socks, shirts, pants, backpacks and whatever else we had that was relevant.  We should mention too that we purchased a Rocket Man beverage drink dispenser in the early part of 2007 and it works well. 

We figure is that having an event once a month is not a big commitment, but the significant thing about it is that it prods us to live in the direction of being people who regularly and thoughtfully look out for those who may be marginalized.  And we are not only focused on helping to meet immediate pressing needs of those we encounter, but to consider how we might help to foster life change over the long haul.  With all this being said, creativity is brewing in our midst and we are learning   how to practically and thoughtfully take care of people

on the streets.  We are discovering how we can apply our abilities, desires, angles and talents toward caring for the homeless. 

As far as the frequently asked question goes: Are you guys a church or Christians?  No, we are not a church, but some of our team are Christians, while others are not.  The links section actually has a few of the churches that some of our core members are a part of and also churches which have sponsored our efforts.  In a nutshell our philosophy for Socks & Gloves is that the Christian gets to do this work in Jesus' name, and those who are not coming from a faith perspective are doing altruistic stuff without or with little reference to God.  It's a beautiful thing to be able to work together despite differences, and we always want to encourage this sort of dynamic for both the present and also with future Socks & Glove partners. 

One other thing worth noting was that in 2007 we saw complete strangers begin to get involved in our efforts.  For example, just before our Turkey in the Park event we put up a post on Craigslist  as a last-minute way to get word out to any homeless persons about the event.  Through the course of only being up for about 24 hours, the post led to us seeing total strangers donating blankets and supplies, bringing by peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, passing out flyers, providing clothing, cooking food, coming to the event, getting their children involved, and some becoming immersed in the flow of what we are up to.  This only reinforces the idea that many people want to help the homeless, but it is sometimes just a matter of finding a way to begin. 

As more history occurs, we'll update this page.  For now, know that you are invited to join us and learn with us.   You do not have to be experienced in working with the homeless or religious in any way to partner with us.  Know too that before each event begins we gather together and discuss what we are going to be doing, why we are doing it, as well as talk through specific points on safety and wisdom.  We always use the "buddy system" by doing things in groups and if you are new to the Socks & Gloves family then you can have the advantage of being paired up with someone who has maybe had a bit more experience in relating to homeless people.  Ultimately, the truth for us though, whether newbie or experienced, is that when all is said and done and our events are over with, we ourselves are the ones who have learned so much from those we are serving. 

www.socksandgloves.org © 2006