giving tuesday: sock fairies plan donation to Mental Health Group
This year, The Sock Drawer team has a new reason to be excited for the busiest week of the holiday shopping season! We plan to donate 5% of all our proceeds on Giving Tuesday to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI.
Giving Tuesday follows Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, started as a reminder of what the holiday season is all about: selfless charitable giving. This is The Sock Drawer’s first official year committing to a certain cause for the occasion, although mental health support has long been close to our hearts.
We checked in with our queen sock fairy, Brooke English, on why she chose NAMI:
Mental health is something we can agree is incredibly important and affects every one of us. Earlier this year, I attended an event led by Maya Enista Smith, the executive director of Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation. One of her messages that stuck with me is how we need to normalize the conversation around mental health. We are quick to talk about the ways in which we physically take care of ourselves — through our specific exercise plan, supplement regimen, green smoothie ingredients — and then we stop short of sharing about our upcoming therapy appointment. Mental health is something we regularly discuss here at The Sock Drawer, and I am personally committed to openly talking about my experience with therapy, in hopes that it can and will inspire others to seek out mental health support. We selected NAMI as our Giving Tuesday recipient because they are the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization that can be found in your local community. They are an organization that is dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
For the past few years, the sock fairies have also made regular donations to local nonprofit Transitions-Mental Health Association, particularly through the group’s super-fun bowlathon fundraiser!
The Sock Drawer staff rocked ’80s costumes this past year for a bowling fundraiser event for local nonprofit TMHA.
Our general manager Cindy Johnson has served on the TMHA board for the past 10 years, and she says she’s proud we’re expanding our charitable contribution to mental health programs on a bigger scale.
“NAMI is a national organization with chapters in every single U.S. state, so their reach is broad,” she said. “They are a comprehensive resource for those living with mental illness and their loved ones. This mission aligns with The Sock Drawer's values to care, for real.”
When we sock fairies worked to define our mission and values statements earlier this year, we made our No. 1 value: “We care, for real. We hear you. We see you. You matter.” It’s all about acknowledging each other as whole people with challenges and opinions and experiences that we want to understand. Our commitment to mental health support falls right in line with that goal.
Another value of ours: “Pass it on. We consciously work to send out ripples of joy by genuinely connecting with others and giving back.” This Giving Tuesday, we’re walking that talk with our 5% donation! Proceeds from both our local shop and our online sales will be donated. Additionally, our shop will donate some socks to TMHA.
If you’re planning to do some holiday shopping with us this season, consider making your purchase on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3, in the knowledge that a portion will go to an outstanding cause! Have a great holiday season, sock lovers!
Ready to start picking out some socks for all your Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers and more? Check out our gift guide to find the perfect pairs for everyone on your list!
