By Jeff Friedman
Editor’s Note: This week, Livingston Philanthropies founder and director Jeff Friedman recounts, in his own words, how the Livingston-based charity has obtained 40,000 pairs of socks for the homeless. This past week, LPI delivered more than 5,000 pairs of these socks to its distribution partners and other agencies.
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Through happenstance, I learned of an organization that has thousands of pairs of new men’s socks donated by Bombas Socks. Many Tribune readers have seen Bombas’ commercial spots on television, radio and the internet, offering to donate one pair of socks for every pair sold. It’s all true and is working amazingly well. Bombas has donated millions of pairs of socks to date.
The thought of procuring warm socks was beyond interesting. Knowing that our van was finally coming, I made getting the high-quality hosiery one of my first tasks upon its arrival.
Enter Livingston Philanthropies’ new Transit Cargo Van, courtesy of our kind donors, including individuals, families, family giving funds, Livingston civic organizations, and Haven Savings Bank.
I made the phone call, and was fortunate to receive 21 cases, each containing 250 pairs of men’s socks. Along with long-time Livingston resident and stalwart LPI volunteer, Alan Levin, 5,250 pairs were picked up and delivered to our distribution associates in Newark and East Orange.
Receiving cases of comfort and warmth were Newark Emergency Services for Families, the Willing Heart Community Care Center, the Apostles’ House, the East Orange Family Success Center, the United Missionary Baptist Church, Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and [former Tribune publisher] Kit Cone’s Re-Start Ministry.
In an amazing example of divine synchronicity, the Re-Start Ministry had, at nearly the same time, received a request for 500 pairs of socks.
Re-Start had learned that the young people of St. Paul’s Church in Jersey City were looking for 500 pairs of socks to distribute to the needy through the Triangle Park Community Center and the Garden State Episcopal Community Development Corporation. Kit’s daughter, Tribune publisher Jennifer Cone Chciuk, picked up the socks from me, and Kit collected them and took them to his church. From there, a Re-Start volunteer took them to Jersey City. The timing was unbelievable. It was, in Kit’s words, nothing short of a “minor miracle.”
In addition, LPI volunteers also gave multiple pairs of socks to the homeless in and around Penn Station and those out on the streets. We know where to find them.
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