Illinois University SOCKtober Drive Collects Donations

This holiday season, community-driven initiatives are making a significant impact. Stephanie Ogden from Illinois State University organized a sock drive, SOCKtober, collecting over 100 pairs of socks to benefit children in need, inspired by her desire to give back on her milestone birthday. Austin Rivers founded Knit the Rainbow, a nonprofit that has distributed over 25,000 handmade garments to homeless LGBTQ youths, mobilizing 550 knitters across the nation to support this vulnerable community. In East Lothian, Northesk Church has created over 120 knitted angels for locals to take home as festive decorations, further fostering community spirit. Each angel symbolizes hope and is a testament to the church's knitting group, which also supports various charitable causes. These heartwarming efforts illustrate the powerful role of community engagement during the holidays.