Robert F. Hall students collect 6,200 pairs of socks for the homeless

Drive was held through March and into early April

By Zachary Roman

The spirit of helping others and thinking beyond one's self was on display at a local high school recently. 

From March 6 to April 6, students at Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School in Caledon East collected 6,200 pairs of black socks to give to people experiencing homelessness in Toronto.

Grade 12 religion teacher, Anna Mancini, explained the sock drive is a longstanding tradition at Robert F. Hall and it happens each year during the lenten season. After socks are collected, they are donated to Good Shepherd Ministries which ensures the socks get to the people who need them most. 

Mancini said students in her Grade 12 religion class were divided into groups, then challenged to motivate and encourage homeroom classes at Robert F. Hall to bring in as many socks as possible. Homeroom classes were matched against “rival” homeroom classes to make for a friendly and fun competition.

“The winning homeroom class who collected the most socks per capita would be awarded a specially-designed Robert F. Hall swag t-shirt as endorsed by our principal, Ms. Speranza,” said Mancini. “It was Mr. Angelis' Grade 9 math class who collected 1,973 pairs of socks that won the drive. As a consolation, Ms. Belvedere, who lost to Mr. Angelis' class, wore a Snoopy costume to show her defeat and amazing school spirit.” 

Mancini said the sock drive really brought the school community together in the spirit of supporting an amazing cause.

Socks are a necessity that we can take for granted, said Mancini, and we are blessed to not need to worry about whether or not we have a warm pair. The Good Shepherd Ministries always collects black socks since darker colours show less wear, colouration, and stains. 

Key lessons for students participating in the drive included learning how important it is to help others in need. 

“Through this process, I hope my students and the greater community refocused their concerns towards human dignity and how we are called to protect others,” said Mancini. “When we are blessed with an opportunity to give and provide a simple necessity of life, such as socks, we are called to do what we can. The drive focused on working towards justice and to care for all members of our community.”

This year's sock drive was a very impressive showing, though it didn't quite beat the all-time record of 9,000 pairs collected in 2017. With the exception of COVID-19, the drive has been a tradition for over 25 years. 

“Opportunities like the sock drive show students that kindness and generosity only grow by sharing with others,” said Mancini. “The act of giving brings on so much joy and it allows us to appreciate what we have. It provides an opportunity to look beyond ourselves and our challenges to see what others are facing. This helps students grow and become active members of society.”