ONTARIO, Ohio – The Area Agency on Aging and We ACT have teamed up to introduce a national initiative this holiday season.
Socks For Seniors is a nonprofit community service project that organizes, collects, and distributes new socks for the elderly across the country.
It started 12 years ago in Columbus by Jamie Coyne.
The local coordinators for the initiative are We ACT’s Brigitte Coles and the Area Agency on Aging’s District 5 Chief Executive Officer Duana Patton and Chief of Marketing and Development Teresa Cook.
“Brigitte brought this project to us, and she felt that this was a good cause and we totally agreed with her,” Cook said. “So we decided to partner with We ACT to find socks for seniors.”
There are 10 nursing facilities in Richland County, Cook said, with more than 700 people occupying beds – majority being seniors. In total, there are 934 beds between the 10 sites, which typically run between 80 to 85 percent occupancy.
“Just to think that they could get a brand-new, warm pair of socks for the holiday season – what a win-win,” Cook added.
Coles said Coyne contacted her in mid-November about bringing Sock for Seniors to Richland County.
“And as soon as I got the email, I said, ‘Well, I’m going to contact everyone,’” Coles said. “So I just sent out a mass email, and it started trickling in a little bit, so I thought I would contact Duana and Teresa [of the Area Agency on Aging].”
Something that particularly drew her to the project, Coles said, was that the whole community could become involved – no matter the age.
“It can be a business, an organization, or a school,” she said. “Right now, it’s North Central State College, they’ve contacted us and have said they want to come on board and be a collection site.”
There are several local groups and businesses that already are participating in the drive.
“I think that’s the great thing about Richland County – we do take care of our own,” Cook said. “And we always come together when there is a need, and Brigitte presented this need.”
Outside of We ACT, Coles also is an anchor/reporter for local TV station WMFD.
If interested in participating in the drive, email Coles or Cook at for information.
The drive ends Dec. 24, at which time Area Agency on Aging volunteers – as part of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program [RSVP] – will collect the boxes.
“They’re going to go out to the collection sites when it’s done and bring them back [to the agency], and we’ll organize everything and get it out to the designated locations,” Coles said.
The socks then will be distributed evenly between the county nursing facilities, Harmony House in Mansfield, and elderly people who live alone in the county.
Cook said We ACT and the agency would like to see at least 20 pairs of socks for each nursing facility.
“But we’ll take one pair at a time,” Cook said. “So every pair of socks means someone’s feet are warm and in a brand-new pair of socks.”
For information about Socks For Seniors and where to contribure socks, visit the website, socksforseniors.com, or contact Coyne via email at jamie@socksforseniors.com. Richland Source is one site socks can be donated.
The Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging is located at 2131 Park Ave. West in Ontario.
We ACT is a community organization started in October. Its mission is to respond to community needs “when we can where we can and how we can with love peace respect and understanding.”
Below are a list of collection sites as of the morning of Dec. 1.
• Richland Source
21 E. Temple Court, Mansfield, Ohio 44902
Contact: Jarred Bates, staff reporter
• The TRIO Office at North Central State College
121 Kee Hall, 2441 Kenwood Circle, Mansfield, Ohio 44906 Contact: Ashley Benson, TRIO project director
• City of Mansfield
Mayor’s Office
30 N. Diamond St., Mansfield, Ohio 44902
• City of Ontario
Hellinger Municipal Building
555 Stumbo Road North, Ontario, Ohio 44906
• CVS Pharmacy
755 Ashland Road, Mansfield, Ohio 44905
• UMADAOP Community Outreach Center
215 N. Trimble Road, Mansfield, Ohio 44906
Contact: Ben Davis, outreach coordinator
• Richland County Children Services
731 Scholl Road, Mansfield, Ohio 44907
• Monica Hubbard’s Second Grade Class at Discovery School
855 Millsboro Road, Mansfield, Ohio 44903
• Shelby City Hall
Mayor’s Office
43 W. Main St., Shelby, Ohio 44875
855 Millsboro Road, Mansfield, Ohio 44903
• Richland County Commissioners Office
50 Park Ave. East No. 3, Mansfield, OH 44902
• Aktion Club at Richland Newhope (Internal Collection Only)
