VHC Health employees donate 13,000 pairs of socks to local non-profit Doorways
ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) — Hospital employees at VHC Health in Arlington went toe-to-toe for a good cause collecting more than 13,000 pairs of socks for local non-profit Doorways.
As you get ready for work or school in the morning, you’ll probably grab a pair of socks and think nothing of it. Socks are a basic piece of clothing that you’ll notice only if they’re not there. A group of healthcare heroes are making sure the most vulnerable in Arlington are taken care of.
Some families leaving abusive relationships or experiencing homelessness only have what they’re wearing.
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“When you are escaping a horrible situation that you’re in, you don’t have time to pack,” explained Doorways’ President and CEO Diana Ortiz. “Having socks, clean socks, fun socks, are just one of those items that can support all our clients.”
The employees at VHC Health are reaching past the hospital walls to help warm some hearts and feet.
For one month, the different departments had a friendly competition to see which group could collect the most socks. From plain white, Pokémon, fuzzy unicorns and cartoon characters, the socks will help victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and children experiencing homelessness.
This is the second year of the “Sock Hop” and the goal was to collect at least 5,000 pairs, matching the 2022 donation amount. The competition heated up in the fourth week and in the end the hospital collected 13,000 pairs.
“From security, from the nurses, from our executive team, from lab, from registration, everyone,” said Registered Nurse Joanna Malvar, assistant patient care director at VHC Health.
More than half of Doorways’ clients are children. The kids will get to pick their favorite pairs.
As for the winners, the emergency department collected the most with nearly 3,000 pairs of socks.
