Socks are the most requested item at homeless shelters and this month, an effort to collect socks for the homeless, called Socktober, is happening nationwide including on the Central Coast
This week marks one year of operation for 40 Prado, the only 24-hour homeless shelter in the region.
Though the San Luis Obispo structure has a capacity of 100 people, 40 Prado Deputy Director Grace Mcintosh said the facility sees about 125 people each day.
McIntosh said the number of homeless over the age of 65 and the number of homeless families are on the rise.
"These are local folks and regardless, these are still somebody's mother or brother or sister or husband and I think it's really important because we see a lot of people come through our doors who never imagined they'd be homeless," McIntosh said.
Since it opened, the shelter has serviced over 1,500 unique clients.
As the shelter works to address clients various needs from hunger to clothing to medical and psychiatric attention, one item commonly requested is in short supply: socks.
"When the rains come, our folks have may be one pair of socks so they're walking around in cold wet socks," McIntosh said. "That can be a real health problem because they don't have an opportunity to get those socks dry."
That need is prompting sock donation drives nationwide and here locally, a movement called Socktober.
Templeton Unified School District is one local organization collecting socks. The Sock Drawer, a business in downtown San Luis Obispo has already pledged 50 pairs of socks.
40 Prado does not accept donation onsite. Check out the CAPSLO website for information about where to donate.
