Connect

"I am completely overwhelmed by the continuous support provided by everyone here at UVA Health in helping to meet our strategic plan goal of cultivating healthy communities and belonging for all. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!!!!” declares Chadwick French, System Director of Retail, UVA Health, Morrison Healthcare, about the annual Socktober collection of new pairs of socks for the unhoused.

French reports UVA Health team members generously donated 15,766 new pairs of socks to support those in need in the Charlottesville area — far exceeding this year's goal of collecting 12,500 new pairs! And well more than the 2023 campaign, during which team members donated 11,700 new pairs of socks.

Supporting our strategic plan's Strengthening Our Foundation goal through our philanthropy initiative — Socktober’s annual mission is to keep feet warm, dry, and clean in local communities. Clean socks are the top requested — yet least donated — item at shelters. Living on the street, many unhoused individuals rarely take their shoes off, walk often, and don’t always have access to laundry facilities.

The new socks are being donated to The Salvation Army.

Because of the resounding success of the campaign this year, French says the top five — not just three — UVA Health departments that contributed the most new socks will win catered events and other prizes:

• Clinical Engineering (third year in a row!)
• Population Health (second year in a row!)
• Orthopedic Center Ivy Road Surgery Pre Intra Post
• Blue Ridge Poison Center
• Computed Tomography (CT)

The top department also earns a trophy.

The other departments being recognized for their contributions are:

• Cardiac Transitional Unit (CTU)
• Welcome Team, Health System Parking, Language Services
• Northridge Internal Medicine

A representative from each winning department above should contact French at cf4cp@uvaheath.org, for prize coordination.

“Thank you to everyone who participated in Socktober this year," he says. "Your generous donations will make an enormous impact in our community and for those in need."