Two Newmarket professionals are hosting drives to gather essential clothing items that can be easy to overlook to restore dignity and warmth for homeless adults and children in our community.
Newmarket realtor Joshua Campbell of Knowledge Broker Real Estate and Mortgages is collecting new underwear, while Juliane Goyette, financial advisor for Investia Financial Services at Riverwalk Wealth, is holding a sock drive. The items will support men, women, and children at social service organizations such as Inn From the Cold and Belinda’s Place.
“You’re not going to get an appreciation for this unless you appreciate yourself,” said Campbell. “You know you’re doing the right thing, and the right thing is to provide for those who don’t get it on a day-to-day basis. It can be taken for granted, legitimately, to open a drawer and put on clean underwear.”
Campbell has been holding his Underwear Challenge for 11 years now. He said it can be difficult for people without homes to have clean clothes, whether from a lack of access to laundry facilities or insufficient funds to wash clothes. He said underwear provides essential comfort and dignity.
“I like to always talk about things people are not talking about,” said Campbell. “People don’t talk about undergarments that much, especially when it comes to what someone needs.”
Meanwhile, Goyette has gathered socks for those in need in the community for nine years. The idea for the drive came about when she conversed with an organizer of a hockey program that had children show up with no socks in the winter.
“I feel everyone in our community deserves to not only have shelter and food, they need to be warm and have the basic necessities of life,” said Goyette, who is also a volunteer board member for the Newmarket Food Pantry.
‘It makes me sad that there are kids that can’t afford to have socks on their feet, and it makes me sad there are parents who are struggling.”
The community donated about 1,000 underwear items last year, and the sock drive typically helps 90 families.
Campbell said people who have given before made their family and friends aware of the drive because it has been consistent. Goyette has been referred to as the sock lady, and people look forward to donating to the campaign.
“I feel that I have been truly blessed in my life, and I feel the need to make sure others are cared for in the way I’ve been cared for,” said Goyette. “The Newmarket community has such a huge heart.”
The sock drive is collecting new socks for children, women, and men until Wednesday, Dec. 4. You can donate items online from an Amazon wishlist by clicking here. You can also support the challenge by dropping off and delivering new socks at Riverwalk Wealth at 17345 Leslie St, Suite 100.
The Underwear Challenge is collecting new packages of underwear for men, women, and children until Monday, Dec. 23. You can donate items online from an Amazon wishlist by clicking here. You can also support the challenge by dropping off and delivering new packaged underwear to Knowledge Broker Real Estate and Mortgages, 249 Avenue Rd. in Newmarket, or contact Campbell for pick up at [email protected].
