Drop Your Socks

Information by State  Print version   Pamela Viviano and Vickie Marshall of The Extra Mile help organize the socks that were collected.

With winter fast approaching, cooler temperatures will soon be felt across the nation, even in Louisiana. According to The Extra Mile Executive Director, Vickie Marshall, each year an estimated 2,000 homeless children in northwest Louisiana face winter without adequate clothing to keep warm. In order to ensure these children have socks to wear this winter, The Extra Mile Youth Volunteer Corps recently held a Make A Difference Day "Sock Hop, Sock Drop" to benefit the homeless children in the area. Socks were solicited from area businesses, churches, and schools throughout Shreveport.

Established in 1991, The Extra Mile is a non-profit whose mission is to enhance and enrich the quality of life for all persons by mobilizing people and resources within a community. They also serve as a catalyst between community and state agencies to meet the special needs of persons affected by mental illness, developmental disabilities or substance abuse. An active member of the local Continuum of Care, Hope for the Homeless, The Extra Mile works collaboratively with other continuum members to augment services for their clients.

Within the last few years the Youth Volunteer Corps was developed to create and increase volunteer opportunities to enrich America's youth, address community needs and develop a lifetime commitment to service. The Extra Mile Region VII office, which services the nine-parish region of northwest Louisiana, has 60 middle and high school youth involved in their Volunteer Corps. "In general, volunteerism in the city is up," said Marshall. "People are becoming more aware of the community's needs and are more willing to be a part of it," she said.

The 556 pairs of socks collected during the "Sock Hop, Sock Drop" will help the homeless children stay warm this winter and at the same time, provided a warm feeling to the members of the Youth Volunteer Corps who learned the value in helping others.