Sid Leevy Jr. collected the socks with help from family and friends. He donated them at Bethany Grace Community Church Saturday.
BRIDGETON -- For the second year in a row, Sid Leevy Jr. was on a mission. The 8-year-old from Woodstown wanted to collect as many socks as he could just so he could give them away.
With a little help, he got through the collecting part pretty easy.
"My friends and family helped me collect them," Sid said. "And my grandmother set it up."
Dot Leevy, his grandmother, said she took donations at her salon, and they put fliers up asking people to bring in socks. She said the Woodstown bowling team pitched in big time by buying socks instead of exchanging Christmas gifts with each other.
Saturday was the big day for Sid. Along with his parents, Clarissa Graves and Sid Leevy Sr., he dropped his donation at Bethany Grace Community Church, on Pearl Street.
Last year, he brought in two big bags filled with more than 200 pairs of socks.
This year, he more than doubled that amount. A table in the church's homeless shelter could barely hold up the bags holding about 550 pairs of socks.
The church has long been involved with running ministries and supporting causes that benefit the homeless. Every Saturday they invite people to come in to clean up through their shower ministry, and they participate in Code Blue.
Nick Dobrowolski, Ministries Coordinator for the church, said socks are far and away the most needed item of clothing for donations. They just aren't something that's on people's minds when they bring things in to a shelter.
"If you think about it, most everybody changes their socks every day," he said. "But if you wear them for a week or two weeks, they get pretty dirty.
Sid Leevy Jr., 8, of Woodstown, collected more than 500 pairs of socks and donated them to Bethany Grace Community Church, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015. The church will distribute them through their various ministries for the homeless. (Alex Young | For NJ.com) "When you're on your feet and always walking around, if you have dirty socks you can get foot problems, and not only that, it's just uncomfortable."
Dobrolowski said they will be distributing the socks to people who come in for the shower ministry, and some will go towards Code Blue. No matter where they're given out, he said they're going to be a huge help to anyone who needs them.
"It's a blessing to have such a large quantity donated at one time," he said.
Graves said she hopes her son continues the tradition next year and many more to come.
"Hopefully he keeps wanting to," she said. "It's teaching him to give back."
Alex Young may be reached at ayoung@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AlexYoungSJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
