HOPE IN A SMALL BOX

Finding Light in the Dark Through the Sock Project

As Giving Tuesday approaches, we here at Gr8ter have been thinking a lot about the small moments that keep us going — the ones that seem insignificant on the outside but hold unbelievable weight when you’re hurting.

A soft pair of socks.
A handwritten note.
A reminder that you matter.

It’s strange how something so simple can break through the heaviness. But that’s exactly what the Sock Project does each March — and why we need support now, as we prepare for it during Giving Tuesday. When you’re struggling with mental illness or addiction, the world can feel cold. Sterile. Lonely. And a small gesture of care can feel like a lifeline.

For some of our volunteers, like Heidi, this project is not just service. It’s a memory. It’s healing. It’s honoring a life that mattered.

“I signed up immediately.” — The Story That Started Her Why

When Stonehill Church offered an opportunity to serve through the Sock Project, Heidi didn’t hesitate.

“My older sister took her life due to mental illness and addiction. When I heard about this project, I immediately signed up so I could help others fighting similar battles as my sister.”

Her sister, Holly, had been fighting a battle with mental illness and addiction since the age of 15. There were good seasons — bright, sober ones where her beauty and kindness filled the room. And then there were the dark seasons — the ones that felt too heavy, too long, too consuming.

Holly lost her life to suicide at 42, and her loss left a hole that serving somehow began to stitch together. For Heidi, this project became a way to offer others what she wishes Holly had received: love, dignity, and a moment of being seen.

The Pit — And What It Means to Be Seen There

Last month in the Minutes of Movement article, we talked about the pit — the place where hope feels thin and life feels too heavy.

The people who receive Sock Project boxes? Many of them are in that exact place.

Psychiatric hospitals.
Detox centers.
Crisis units.
Treatment programs.
Youth facilities.

Places where everything feels stripped away — including identity.

And then something unexpected happens: a small box of hope is handed to them. Inside is a pair of warm, soft socks and a card with a message of hope from someone who doesn’t know their story, but cares anyway.

And that moment cracks the darkness just a little.

Listen to the voices of people who received these socks:

“The socks you gave me made my feet feel like heaven. In a place that feels like hell… I couldn’t believe someone who didn’t even know me cared.” — Rhi

“I had forgotten what it felt like to wear ‘human’ socks. They made me feel human again.” — Bre

“The best moment of this program was the socks. It had been so long since I had felt REAL socks… it was like part of my dignity was returned to me.” — Brit

This is the work — not fixing everything, but meeting someone in the pit and saying: You matter. You’re worth caring for. You’re human.

Connection — The Part That Changes You

When Heidi tells the story of her first Sock Project event, two names rise to the surface: Amy, who welcomed her in, and Kylee, whose vulnerability about her own mental-health hospitalization became the backbone of the project itself.

“Hearing Kylee’s story at our first Sock Project was extremely impactful.”

Grief met grief. Hope met hope. And suddenly, Heidi wasn’t carrying her sister’s story alone.

That’s what community does — it meets you where you are, even in the thick of pain, and helps you lift it.

The Climb — Turning Loss Into Purpose

Since that first event, Heidi and her family have packed Sock Project boxes for two years. They’ve sorted socks, folded notes, and closed boxes with care. They haven’t delivered boxes yet, but they hope to — because they want to witness the impact firsthand.

Each box they pack feels like a small act of love for Holly.
Each note feels like something Holly should’ve received.
Each March, they climb a little higher out of their own hurt by helping someone else through theirs.

Why Giving Tuesday Matters

The Sock Project happens in March — but everything that makes it possible happens long before then.

This Giving Tuesday, we’re aiming to raise $3,000 to fund:

✨ Over 2,000 Sock Project boxes
✨ Special boxes for kids and teens in crisis
✨ Deliveries to facilities across the community
✨ Outreach even up to Valley County
✨ Materials, notes, and the logistics that bring it all to life

This project isn’t being driven by big funders. It isn’t sustained by grants. It’s powered by you — by a community of people who believe that love can reach someone even in the pit.

Heidi believes it too:

“Even if only ONE life is changed by this project, it’s worth all the effort.”

The Hope — What You Can Do Today

If you’re reading this thinking you want to help but don’t know how — this is how:

Give. Share. Support. Show up.

Your Giving Tuesday donation becomes a box.
That box becomes a moment.
That moment becomes hope.
And that hope meets someone on one of the hardest days of their life.

If Holly had received a box like this, Heidi believes it would have shown her she wasn’t alone. And now, through you, someone else will get that message.

A Final Word From Heidi

“This project brings a new level of hope and comfort to those in need.”

And she’s right.

One small box.
One act of love.
One Giving Tuesday.
Together, we can make sure the light reaches the people who need it most.