Socks for the Sole

Socks for the Sole provides students with an opportunity to:
     1. Meet other students who are committed to creating change in their community.
     2. Learn about the essential components of a non-profit organization.
     3. Gain education on homelessness in Austin and the network of organizations that work on challenging this social justice issue.
     4. Play a meaningful role in improving the quality of life of people experiencing homelessness by distributing essential, yet under donated supplies.

Weekly Meetings (Wednesday Nights @ 6:00 pm) and Leadership Opportunities
·        Description: During a student’s first semester with Socks for the Sole (the Intern semester), students work with each of our committees (e.g., volunteer, public relations, etc.), rotating committees each week. This process provides students with an in-depth understanding of the fundamental roles and responsibilities of running a small, community non-profit and they will receive a “committee assignment” each week. After completing the semester, Interns may apply to committee and board leadership positions within the organization if they wish to continue.
·        Virtual 

Sole Events
·        Description: During these biweekly events, we pack a caravan of cars with boxes of socks, other clothing, and food before driving around to various locations around Austin to pass them all out. More recently we have been spending time before these events packaging socks and other supplies into care kits. These events serve the dual purpose of gathering information about the needs of underserved groups through conversation. We then use this information to better prepare for the next Sole Event. We plan to continue with Sole Events this semester.
·        In-person

Educational Opportunities
·        Description: At most meetings, students will receive a quick, educative presentation by members of the board or (when possible) a guest speaker, and students will be provided with additional materials if they are interested. At the end of their service-learning semester, students are expected to do a short 5-minute presentation on homelessness that focuses on a topic of their choice (e.g., homelessness and mental health). In past semesters, students have presented infographics, which we have used in our social media to increase awareness about the complexity of homelessness. Last year, Socks for the Sole worked with the Austin Homelessness Advisory Council (AHAC) to create a survey/questionnaire to distribute to people experiencing homelessness in Austin. We wanted to know more about folks’ needs during the pandemic while keeping our members safe. AHAC distributed the survey and sent us PDF files of the surveys. We need help sorting through these files, and we think that service-learning students could benefit from reading the answers
·        Virtual