Brenda Gammon has taken socks for granted her whole life, but not anymore.
She’s helping to distribute adult socks to anyone who needs a pair by hanging them on the fence that surrounds the community garden at a York Street synagogue.
Congregation Beth Israel, All Souls Congregational Church and St. John Catholic Church have joined forces to collect socks for what has been dubbed the Sock Garden. The synagogue and St. John’s are located on York Street. All Souls is at the corner of Broadway and State Street near York Street.
Those who work with the homeless say that socks are among the most needed, yet least seldom donated, items.
“I had heard about socks being placed in trees but that doesn’t really work in the winter in Maine,” Gammon said. “But there’s a lot of foot traffic on York Street so we thought the fence would be perfect.”
So far, members of All Souls have collected 290 pairs of socks, Gammon, who attends the Congregational church, said Tuesday. They are placed in quart-sized, zip lock bags to keep them dry. They won’t be left on the fence during storms, she said.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and security measures in place at Congregation Beth Israel, synagogue members have not been able to give back to the community in the same ways they used to, said Brian Kresge, Beth Israel’s president.
“We do see a lot of indigent people walking up and down York Street,” he said. “We say a blessing every morning that includes the words ‘clothe the naked.’ Hopefully, no one is naked but we can help provide them with socks.”
Not having a spare pair of dry, warm socks can cause people to walk about Bangor in wet socks, Gammon said. That can cause them to develop blisters, which can turn into wounds that need a doctor’s care.
Socks are the main focus now, but all three houses of worship will accept donations of hats, mittens, gloves and scarves along with quart-sized zip lock plastic bags.