Underworks will be donating socks, underwear, and thermal underlayers to the homeless and others in need to help them keep warm amid dropping temperatures this season.

Underworks CEO Sam Todaro said the importance of warm clothing should not be overlooked, especially over the colder months.

“Cold temperatures can be life-threatening and those sleeping rough are particularly at risk of developing significant health issues,” he said.“Warm clothes help to provide insulation and retain body heat, but they also help protect against harsh weather conditions.

Recent figures suggest that more than 7000 people are sleeping rough in Australia and remain at risk of illness and hypothermia. Related statistics also show that 13.4 per cent of Australians( which is equivalent to 3.3 million people) are living below the poverty line while data from Thread Together noted that one in eight adults and 1 in 6 children do not have access to adequate essential clothing.

Underworks has pointed out that socks are some of the least donated items, despite being of utmost importance as they prevent blisters, sores, as well as foot infections and diseases.

“Socks are our most requested item! Socks and underwear are as essential as having access to food and water – imagine being in the freezing cold without socks! Socks also prevent common diseases that are associated with homelessness, such as foot infections,” Gali Blacher, co-Founder at The Good Box (pictured, right, alongside her co-founder Madelyn Jones), shared.

“The demand is extremely high at the moment and this is due to winter, domestic violence and cost of living,” Blacher added. “We are always in need of socks, underwear, thermals and winter items.”

For the I Give A Sock 2024 campaign, Underworks is partnering with charities Foodbank Victoria, Thread Together, The Salvation Army and The Good Box to distribute essential clothing items.

“People experiencing homelessness face numerous challenges, and while keeping their feet warm and dry may not seem as urgent as some of the other pressing issues they have to deal with, it is a vital part of maintaining their overall health and wellbeing,” Major Warren Elliott of The Salvation Army, said.

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Under the partnership, The Good Box will be sending out 2000 filled Christmas boxes and Abbe will print and transport the boxes to selected beneficiaries, making sure that they have food on the table this Christmas amidst increased cost of living expenses and shrinking disposable income.

Daniel O’Sullivan, Group Sales & Marketing Director at Abbe, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, saying, “This is our second year working with The Good Box to help bring year-round dignity to those in need. The team at The Good Box do such a brilliant job of supporting the homeless community and we are grateful to be involved in helping to support their endeavours.”

Abbe has provided The Good Box with large donation bins which have been dispersed among various Big W retail stores in Melbourne and Brisbane. The company also set aside a packing day with their staff, during which they assisted in the on-site assembly of 300 Good Boxes, which are beautifully packaged gift boxes to those experiencing homelessness.

Gali Blacher, one of the Co-founders of The Good Box alongside Madelyn Jones, revealed her excitement about the plans.

“I am excited to collaborate with Abbe’s amazing team; they have been a huge
assistance to us in helping those who need it most,” Blacher said. “Many people in need would go without, if we did not have the support of an SME like ABBE.”

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Two enterprising young women, Gali Blacher and Maddy Jones, are working hard to keep our homeless Australians warm and fed during the lockdowns through their social enterprise, The Good Box.

“We make beautifully packaged gift boxes that are purchased by the public online and then handed to our homeless community,” co-founder Gali said. “We currently have close on 1000 orders a week from our charity partners who require our winter box which is a box filled with wonderful winter items such as a hoodie, beanies, soup sachet and more.”

The impact of the Good Box’s offering is immediate and heartfelt. One recipient at Vinnies Kitchen one of their boxes said, “It’s very good to be able to wear a nice warm hoodie in the cold winter.” And a homeless person who got a Good Box from Lou’s Place added, “Receiving a Good Box is like going to a nice spa day!”

Fellow co-founder Maddy stressed the importance of continuing to help those who most need it, despite the challenges that lockdowns present in achieving this.

“During lockdown a lot of support services stop, and we get non-stop phone calls from various organisations and charities for our boxes as they help keep our homeless community warm and remind them [that] they matter!” Maddy said. “Each box has a personalised note inside the box to help instil dignity and brighten up the day of someone doing it tough.”

As an example of the challenges, The Good Box received a phone call last week from a Melbourne resident who was trying to find support for a man sleeping rough on the streets of Moonee Ponds with no warm clothing.

“The lady couldn’t receive any support for this man as it is lockdown, but he was lonely and cold on the streets of Melbourne while everyone else was in their warm house,” Gali bemoaned. However, The Good Box were able to connect the man to support services and organised for a winter box to be sent to him, providing him with the essentials he needs for survive the winter and a good meal.

Gali and Maddy are desperate to help more homeless people and concerned that if they don’t receive more support, they won’t be able to fulfil the need from their charity partners.

“We are inundated with requests right now to send through Winter Boxes and we just can’t keep up with the need,” Maddy explained. “We really need further support from the community to help our friends in need.”

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