Australians can ‘give a sock’ to vulnerable people doing it tough this winter by simply sharing a post on Instagram.
The ‘I Give A Sock’ campaign by Underworks is simple – in exchange for every post shared on Instagram in July, either via a user’s feed or story, the retailer will donate a pair of socks or an essential clothing item to those in need.
Underworks has 20,000 pairs of socks ready to donate, along with many other essential clothing items, including underwear and thermal under layers.
The socks will be distributed through Underworks’ charity partners, including The Salvation Army, Foodbank Victoria, Lighthouse Foundation and Thread Together.
Underworks CEO Sam Todaro said the campaign runs every year in July, with over 30,000 pairs of socks donated in the past 12 months alone. This year’s theme is focused on paying it forward.
“The ‘I Give A Sock’ campaign allows people to play a meaningful part in helping vulnerable Australians stay warm this winter,” Todoro said.
“All you have to do is share an Underworks post on your Instagram feed or story, tag a friend, use #IGiveASock and tag @underworksaustralia. We’ll then make a donation.”
Tens of thousands of Australians are currently experiencing extreme poverty, with the nation’s cost-of-living crisis plunging households into financial stress.
New figures show that 93 per cent of people who reached out to The Salvation Army for help in the past 12 months struggled to afford basic living necessities, including paying for essential costs such as housing, food, utilities, health and fuel.
According to Thread Together, more than 3.5 million people do not have access to essential clothing, which equates to around 1 in 8 adults and 1 in 6 children.
Charities have called for more donations of socks and underwear, as socks in particular were among the least donated items.
“We know from our charity partners that socks can be lifesaving items,” Todoro said.
“Most people don’t donate their old socks to charity – which is why there is a huge shortage. Basics like socks and underwear are things most of us take for granted and we want to change that”.
“We are committed to paying it forward and encourage everyone to jump on board I Give A Sock and make a difference with us.”
Share a post on Instagram and ‘give a sock’ to vulnerable Australians.
What: I Give A Sock runs throughout July. For every Underworks post shared via an Instagram user’s feed or
story, a pair of socks will be donated to someone in need. The user must tag a friend, use #IGiveASock and tag @underworksaustralia (Maximum of 20,000 units)