Redeeming Soles

After last week’s fairly unusual snow event in the Seattle area, we have had rainy, slushy, cold weather this weekend. Areas both rural and urban are keeping an eye on their rivers, streams, and storm drains in case of flooding.

If you are able to go outside and clean debris off of a nearby storm drain, this is an excellent day to do it. Also remember not to push your leaves into the streets because that just exacerbates the problem and clogs up the street sweepers.

A local nonprofit called Redeeming Soles is collecting shoes and socks for those walking around in this stormy weather without them. I’ve learned that some of the homeless people in our area are either going barefoot, walking around in socks, or trying to improvise by putting cardboard inside of their socks. Obviously none of these methods can keep their feet warm or protected.

In an amazing show of love and support, hundreds of people took off their own socks and shoes this morning and left them in a pile at church to donate to this charity. Most didn’t know they were going to do this when they walked in. These wonderful people walked out into the freezing, slushy puddles of the parking lot barefoot when they left the service, getting a feeling for what some of our neighbors go through 24/7, as one pastor put it.

While I’ve always known that socks are a hot item for nonprofits, I did not know until today that some charities have run out of socks and shoes because the current need is so great. They can use new and used shoes and new socks in all sizes, so if you feel moved to help out, check out Redeeming Soles’ website at http://redeemingsoles.org/ and find a donation site near you.

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The greatest joy in giving is to be the one who gives. –Welsh proverb

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