We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sue Lee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sue below.
Hi Sue, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
Our story begins in 2011 when I asked my friend Phillis Shimamoto to collaborate with me in asking some of our friends to collect new socks for those experiencing homelessness from Thanksgiving to end of December. We, along with our friends collected 575 pair of socks, which first week of 2012, in seven-degree weather we delivered the socks to three shelters in downtown Denver. Upon doing so we learned that socks were the #1 clothing need of those experiencing homelessness and the shelters rarely if ever had enough socks to pass out to those in need. At that point in time, we decided to do something about the lack of socks and the Sock It To Em Sock Campaign was birthed. We set out to put new socks on as many of the feet of men, women and children experiencing homelessness and/or are in need. What evolved was organizations, places of worship, schools, businesses, individuals becoming Sock Ambassadors who collected new socks, getting them to us which we then had to count, bag and sort and get to shelters, services and agencies. Little did we know that hours of work it would entail and that is where our story of resiliency developed and began. Phillis and I, each in our own homes ended up counting, sorting and bagging thousands and thousands of socks. We had to go and pick up the socks from those who collected the socks, transport them back to our homes, unload them into our houses, and then count, sort and bag them. After that we had to arrange with shelters, services and agencies to receive the socks and then to deliver the socks to them. I remember numerous times where I was exhausted, and I had thousands of socks to process, putting in 40+ hours of work a week and thinking I can’t keep this up. Then, I would think of the those who were out on the streets, scared, cold, unsure, frustrated, sick, aching, needing a bath, hungry and uncertain as to where they’d sleep, would they be safe and felt ashamed that I was tired when I was in a warm house, clothed, healthy, knew what was cooking on the stove and deep from within I’d keep plugging away for I knew their needs were far greater than mine AND that socks might be the one clothing item that not only would help keep them warm, but might keep them from going on a trip to the ER. I had to be resilient, I had to keep going and not only then, but also when it came to filing for a 501C3, being compliant when I didn’t really at first know what I was doing, but I kept thinking those who are finding themselves homeless don’t care that I’m not sure of what I’m doing, I have to learn and keep going, for I know their need is so great and far greater than mine. Compassion merged with resilience and now ten years later the Sock It To Em Sock Campaign has provided over 1M pair of new socks to those in need, with an influence in 50 states and over 250 cities, all because we realized the need of others was far greater than our own comfort.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Our mission is simple: To put new socks on the feet of men, women and children experiencing homelessness and/or are in need. Ours is a 501C3 so we are a Public Charity. We serve the public, particularly those who are less fortunate than we are and people we will never meet. What’s special about us, we use others to make it happen. We immediately from conception use what we call Sock Ambassadors, who are any person, business, place of worship, organization etc. that collects new socks from whoever they want, whenever they want, for as long as they want. They get the socks to us and we count, sort and bag them to then go out to shelters, services and agencies to then be distributed to shelters, services and agencies here in Colorado and across the United States. Those in other states have to count, sort and bag the socks and get them out to those in need.
In addition to that we began a program called Sock Drawers that are the simple plastic three drawer units that stand about two and half feet tall and about a foot or so wide. We fill them with kids socks and get them into Title 1 Schools. Title 1 schools are those schools where a majority of the families qualify in the line of poverty or below. Due to lack of funds many of the students don’t have socks, so we want the schools to have Sock Drawers full of socks that the students who need socks can then go to the Sock Drawers and get socks to wear.
We soon realized that part of what we were doing was educating others to the need of those who find themselves homeless and that the need for socks is so great. Socks wear out faster than any other article of clothing and are the least donated. Dirt and grime get in between the socks and the already ill-fitting shoes and friction does the rest. Add moisture and the deteriorating of the socks rapidly increases. Those experiencing homelessness have no way to really wash their socks. A pair of socks might last 2-3 days if they’re lucky for they’re often walking 5-10 miles a day.
Many know that socks are the #1 clothing need of those who find themselves homeless, but what they don’t know is that one of the main reasons a person who is homeless goes to the ER is a foot ailment. They get blisters and sores that get infected, and they often loose toes and or a foot and sometimes die. The number one way to prevent that is for them to have clean dry socks to wear on a regular basis. So, we are not only helping people to feel good and have comfort we are helping to keep them out of the hospital.
We have gotten mayors involved and in fact, for the past four years the mayors of Greenwood Village, City of Englewood and City of Centennial have united from mid Nov to mid-January to see how many socks their cities can collect to provide for those in need. It was particularly moving after the Marshall fire when those three cities, through the Sock It To Em Sock Campaign, were able to send thousands of socks to their fellow Mayor of Superior Colorado and provide socks for the victims of the Marshall Fire.
Socks, a small article of clothing, so important to the health and welfare of others and any age can get involved. Our youngest sock Ambassador was Bryce Valentine when at the age of 3 he managed in preschool to get fellow students to collect 275 pair of socks for other kids who might be less fortunate than they are. We have had elementary schools collect socks for years and it’s amazing their enthusiasm and big hearts that keep reminding all of us that the youngest amongst us can make a difference AND it’s important that they learn that now, for they’ll grow up to be adults who someday might have an idea that will change the lives of others.
We’re always looking for those who wish to participate, whether being a Sock Ambassador and setting up a sock collection, become a Sock Sherpa to deliver socks to locations in need, a Sock Sorter to count, sort and bag socks…there’s multiple ways to help whether behind the scenes with a particular skill or talent or out there collecting or passing out socks.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
What three qualities, skills or area of knowledge that served my journey most? The skill to be tenacious, a skill that has served me well all my life in a multitude of ways. That stick to it like glue and just don’t give up. That I’m stronger than the problem, smarter than the problem and that if I hang in their long enough I not only will get it done, I’ll excel at it. Secondly, a belief in self. I know who I am and what I’m good at, if I can’t do it I need to find someone else who can do it. Thirdly, the skill of leadership, the ability to be an example, to let others use their skills and to praise them for their contribution. It’s intrinsic in humans to want to be a part of something and to feel that they’re making a difference. The success that Phillis and I have had is because we have praised others and we let them know as much as we can. It is because of a multitude of others that we have succeeded and we want them to know that.
What advice do I have for others: If you have an idea, it was given to you for a reason. Don’t pass it by. Act upon it with the energy of which you first felt when you had the idea and know that if you can’t do it by yourself there’s an amazing amount of people, who haven’t come into your life yet, that will know how to do it and your life, your dream will be better for it.
Secondly, always use expansion thinking, which is to think What if? What else and Why not? My mother, who was an amazing person instilled that in me as a child. I knew I could excel at any school project for I would always and in all ways think What if I did this…What else might I do…and Why not do it? It has served me well and I’m so grateful for it has allowed me to accomplish great things in my life.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Our current challenge now that we’re ten years into this is we are growing rapidly and in a capacity development mode, which in simply terms means we now require the means to do what we already have established in more ways, in more locations and with the ability to expand our capabilities. We are at a point where if a business has an empty building that’s near us that we could move operations into our hearts would be overjoyed. We could use a space where we could store thousands of socks, instead of renting storage units to do so. At the same time, a space where others can comfortably come and count, sort and bag socks. Where deliveries could easily be made and where organizations, shelters, services and agencies could come to us to pick up their socks. Ideally that space, due to where we live should be in the south metro Denver area close to Lincoln and Quebec to Lincoln and Colorado Blvd, north from Lincoln to County Line. And obviously we require the funds that allow us to expand our operations locally and nationally.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.donatesocks.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sockcampaign
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SockItCampaign
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQYuJ9ZjttAu3YKloJyy2kA
