Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences:

Sock Footage is a Toronto-based sock company with a one-for-one giving model. For every pair of funky socks that you purchase from us, we give you a free pair of socks to donate back to someone in need in your community.

We’ve got lots of great gift-giving ideas from sock subscriptions and bouquets, to individual designs for Men, Women, and Kids. During the pandemic, all socks are still getting to our homeless friends via the various partner charities that we work with. Since our launch, we have been able to collect and donate over 10,000 pairs of socks to people in need in our community. Visit www.sockfootage.com to help us #PAYITFOOTWARD and give the gift that keeps on giving this holiday season.

What problem does it aim to solve?

Most people are unaware that socks are one of the most needed, but least donated items to homeless shelters. As a general rule, shelters will not accept used socks or underwear, so when people think of cleaning out their closets to donate items to a shelter, rarely do they think about going to buy something new. For this reason, there is always a shortage when it comes to socks.

In most cases, a homeless individual’s feet are their primary mode of transportation to get them from point A to point B, whether that’s their next meal, job interview, etc, so proper foot care is of utmost importance. While we understand that socks will not necessarily solve homelessness, we believe that if we can make someone’s day a little bit brighter by offering them something that they need, like a new pair of socks, then we can at the very least provide them with a human interaction that allows them to feel some sense of dignity.

When did you start/join it?

Sock Footage was launched in August of 2019. After a five-year stint as a corporate account manager in the sock industry, I knew I wanted to find a way to combine my passion for socks with giving back to those less fortunate. Our overall mission is to empower individuals to engage in acts of kindness as a by-product of their simple, everyday sock purchases.

What made you want to get involved?

Having been involved in and volunteered at a number of charitable organizations over the course of my career, I had the opportunity to work closely with members of the homeless community. Through this work, (with organizations like the NDG Food Bank in Montreal and CAMH in Toronto) I quickly realized that there was a common thread among the individuals with whom I crossed paths: they all craved connection and conversation. They wanted to be heard and they wanted to be seen. Unfortunately, in this age of technology, we have lost authentic connection, and, as a result, many of our relationships have become short-lived and transactional. We are trying to get consumers to reconnect with those living on the streets to help reduce some of the stigmas of homelessness.

At Sock Footage, our version of “paying it forward” is to “PAY IT FOOTWARD”. In contrast to other businesses with a similar one-for-one giving model, we actually offer the consumer an opportunity to get personally involved in their donation experience, if that is of interest to them. We have witnessed firsthand the impact that face-to-face giving can have on both the giver and the receiver. Through the donation of our complimentary pair of socks, we are looking to start a movement that spreads awareness about the importance of giving back. We are asking customers to post highlights of their donation moments (how they felt before and after their act of giving) while reminding them to be both respectful and mindful to never compromise the privacy or expose the identity of those on the receiving end. Alternatively, we are asking them to post photos of their novelty socks to social media using #PAYITFOOTWARD and by tagging @sockfootageco.

What was the situation like when you started? How has it changed since?

When the company launched, there were already over 9,200 homeless individuals living in Toronto.
With COVID now in play, it is my understanding that outdoor homelessness has increased significantly. Shelters have reduced capacity so as to adhere to social distancing measures and many no longer feel safe being inside, which is why we have seen so many encampments pop up during the pandemic. With 3 consecutive lockdowns plaguing the city, access was cut off to so many basic resources. It became difficult to fill up a water bottle, use a public washroom or simply go inside to get out of the cold. Libraries were closed, limiting internet access for many who relied heavily on their services.

What more needs to be done?

While donation socks are certainly a “step in the right direction”, pun intended, awareness and education are paramount.
Advocacy is essential.

How can our readers help?

Readers can help by reaching out to their local shelters to evaluate what is needed. Very often these organizations receive donations that they, unfortunately, cannot make use of.
Contact their local MPs to see what is being done as it relates to affordable housing solutions for this community.
Connect with members in the community who are struggling to ask how they can help.
Be kind and decent human beings, by extending empathy and compassion to those who are “living rough”. Everyone’s got a story and you never really know what someone is going through or how they got there until you ask.

Do you have any events coming up?

Our charitable sock vending machine, the first of its kind, can now be found at 900 Dufferin Street at the Dufferin Mall (Toronto, ON), and is located directly diagonal from Winners. With every pair of funky socks purchased from the machine, the second pair of free Men’s cotton socks drop simultaneously, empowering consumers to help #PAYITFOOTWARD by giving back. Individuals have the option to donate the complimentary pair of socks on-site to a plexiglass donation box that is affixed to the side of the machine, in which case all contributions will be shipped directly to our partners at Sistering, a multi-service agency for at-risk, socially isolated women and trans people in Toronto who are homeless or precariously housed. Alternatively, because the machine operates on the honour system, people have the option to take away the free pair to be able to give directly & face-to-face to someone in need.

Additionally, we will be selling socks at Evergreen Brickworks’ Holiday Market.

Dates and Times are as follows:
Saturday, December 18th, 11-4
Monday, December 20th, 12-7
Tuesday, December 21st, 12-7
Wednesday, December 22nd, 12-7

Alternatively, you can order online.

Where can we follow you?

You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?

St. Felix Centre! We have partnered with them on a number of initiatives.
They do some amazing work in the community. They are a non-profit community centre in downtown Toronto that is dedicated to providing compassionate service and a safe, welcoming and respectful environment inclusive of all religions, cultures, genders and abilities. They are 100% pet friendly and serve over 20,000 meals a month to their guests.

The post Charitable Choices: take one, donate one with Sock Footage appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Describe your charity/non-profit in a few sentences.

Youth Without Shelter (YWS) is an emergency residence and referral agency serving youth ages 16 to 24 who are experiencing homelessness in the GTA. Life circumstances have not been kind to the youth in our programs – they are victims of abuse, abandonment or have no family at all. We provide shelter and a variety of support services in a safe, nonjudgmental environment.

What problem does it aim to solve?

Youth between 13 and 24 make up 20% the Canadian homeless population. We aim to solve the problem of youth homelessness by providing safe, emergency housing and support programs for youth. By providing wrap-around programming for more than 1,000 youth annually, our goal is to get youth off the streets permanently and to enable youth to live responsibly and independently in society. For over three decades, we have helped more than 15,000 homeless youth find long-term stable housing and jobs.

When did you start/join it?

In 1986, a group of teachers and guidance counsellors created YWS as they were frustrated with the lack of safe, emergency housing and support programs for their students. From these grassroots origins, our strategic approach continues to to ensure that every youth has the support and encouragement to develop to their potential. The youth voice guides all programming. In 2007, I joined YWS to support the shelter’s fundraising and community engagement activities.
What made you want to get involved?

I was introduced to the realities of youth experiencing homelessness through my children (who were teens at the time) and a group I was involved with who volunteered at Youth Without Shelter (YWS). What resonated with me was the remarkable potential of the young people housed at YWS, and the myths and stereotypes associated with youth homelessness – especially the lack of understanding that homelessness does exist in the suburbs.

What was the situation like when you started?

I joined YWS the month the new Stay in School Program opened, moving YWS to a 53-bed capacity, and adding a critical new dimension of long-term transitional living for youth to focus on their educational goals. The Stay in School Program, which was years in development, filled a youth-identified gap where leaving school early and homelessness go hand-in-hand.

How has it changed since?

Since that time YWS has evolved beyond providing emergency services to add a comprehensive range of wrap-around programming, including life skills and culinary, employment, after-care and educational outreach. Stays at YWS have become longer as youth are very challenged with finding affordable housing, combined with a complex set of barriers they may be facing including mental health.

What more needs to be done?

Youth Without Shelter is full each night. We need to continue to shift our focus and resources to prevention. Prevention encompasses intervening early before a youth becomes homeless (research indicates many youth first experience homelessness before they are 16); enhanced After-Care Programming that supports a youth in maintaining independent living; and increased access for youth to an affordable housing supply.

How can our readers help?

Readers can help by volunteering their time with YWS, making a donation and learning more about youth homelessness. From individuals to workplaces to faith-based organizations, there are volunteer opportunities for everyone to help support areas such as the YWS meal program, tutoring or even by sharing a special talent or skill! Donations go towards safe shelter, nutritious food and provide our youth with access to counselling services, job search skills, educational opportunities, life skills training and more.

Do you have any events coming up?

February 1 is Time4Change Day (formerly Tokens4Change), a 12-hour, Toronto-wide student art activism event that will see 600 elementary and high school students collecting spare change and TTC fare to support transportation costs and essential programming at YWS. Time4Change Day is taking place at 29 of Toronto’s TTC stations, PATH locations and high-traffic urban areas, where students will also perform theatre, dance, visual arts, music and spoken word to convey the staggering realities of the youth homelessness crisis in Toronto.

Where can we follow you?

Websites: YWS.on.ca and time4changenow.com
Facebook: Youth Without Shelter (YWS)
Twitter: @YWSToronto
Instagram: @ywstoronto
Hashtag: #Time4Change2019

The post Charitable Choices: Youth Without Shelter emergency residence appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Meet Olaf – DOB: September 2015

Olaf was born in foster care with his 3 siblings, when his Mother Gemma was rescued from a life on the streets in the Holland Marsh area. He is a handsome, innocent faced, little charmer with a wonderful a super sweet purrsonality. Olaf is a lively, energetic, curious, playful, fun-loving, spunky and sweet natured boy who loves to explore his surroundings. Excellent with other cats Olaf, would need to be adopted as part of a pair, with one of his siblings or to join a family that already has a friendly cat he can befriend and bond with.

About North Toronto Cat Rescue

This column features Toronto pets available for adoption.

Our current features come from North Toronto Cat Rescue which is a no kill, no cage shelter in Markham, Ontario, Canada. They have saved over 2000 cats over the years from both the harsh environments of life on the streets and from kill shelters in Ontario and Québec. They care for both kittens and adult cats. I always like to promote getting an adult cat as it is a lot easier to pick the cat with the right temperament for you.

The NTCR shelter is run by volunteers with no government assistance. They currently have around 200 plus awesome cats that would love a good home. Go and visit them soon!

For more info, Visit the NTCR Website.

The post Olaf the Cat Needs a New Home appeared first on Toronto Guardian.