San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Woman collecting socks for homeless
Poway resident Vickie Hoey has been helping keep the feet of San Diego’s homeless warm for a decade through her annual sock collection drive.
Hoey, a Realtor who moved to Poway in 2008, said this is the 10th year of her sock collection drive, which usually includes a neighborhood party.
“It makes me sad it’s not a regular time,” Hoey said. The party, which usually has between 40 and 50 neighbors who exchange cookies, was not held this year due to the pandemic.
However, COVID-19 did not stop Hoey, her friends and neighbors from collecting and donating 379 pairs of socks so far this year. She said the drive usually collects between 300 and 400 pairs.
Hoey has a box in front of her house to accept the socks and stores them in her back room before donating. The socks usually go to the San Diego Rescue Mission, a nonprofit that works with homeless men, women and children. It is this year’s recipient. Hoey said last year, she donated the socks to the Kiwanis Club of Poway for its Holiday with Heroes event. She has also donated socks to Interfaith Community Services in the past.
The drive started when Hoey and her friend, Tessie Rousseau, were out walking their dogs, Hoey said. They spoke with another neighbor, Carol Breckenridge, who suggested exchanging cookies and socks for donation.
Hoey and Rousseau took it over for the second year. Hoey provides her house for donations and the party and provides the food, she said.
“It’s a great, fun way for people to help other people who are cold,” Hoey said. “It’s a nice, neighborly thing to do. Everyone enjoys it. We’re a close-knit neighborhood, and it’s a nice way for us all to get together.”
Hoey said she usually drives to the recipient organization to donate the socks, but this year San Diego Rescue Mission representatives will pick up the socks on Tuesday.
“I’d hoped the socks would get to everyone before Christmas, but you can’t plan for this kind of thing,” she said. “If you drive past my house on the 29th, you’ll see 20 bags of socks on my driveway.”
The delay in picking up the socks allows for more donations, and Hoey said if anyone wants to donate socks, they can do so until Monday. To donate, call or text her at (858) 204-8596 for her address.