Bar mitzvah project: More than 1,300 pairs of socks collected and given away | Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

Bar mitzvah project: More than 1,300 pairs of socks collected and given away 

 

Evan Henrickson, 12, has collected more than 1,300 pairs of socks for people in need, for a bar mitzvah project that’s been growing in impact as the big day approaches. 

Evan, of Congregation Shalom and Milwaukee Jewish Day School, is to be bar mitzvahed June 19. He started collecting and giving away socks back in February, when his then- accomplishment of about 70 socks in total seemed like a lot.   

“The mitzvah project is one of the big, main parts of the bar mitzvah,” Evan said. “You choose your own way to help out your community.” 

At this point, Evan’s got it down to a science. He gets the socks – new or gently used – by telling people about his mission or at drop-off bins stationed at Starbucks, 4075 N. Oakland Ave. and Collectivo Coffee, 4500 N. Oakland Ave. 

Evan has delivered fliers to homes in his Shorewood neighborhood before school in the morning. “The neighbors are all impressed. They see him walking by at 6:45 in the morning,” said mom and assistant-organizer Heather Henrickson. Also super helpful is dad, Jess Henrickson.  

But Evan is doing the heavy lifting. He spends each Saturday volunteering at the Food Is Free Milwaukee community food sharing site in Sherman Park. There he works in the greenhouse and encourages people to pick up his socks, which he keeps sorted in different sizes. He keeps no extra socks in stock – people take them each week. 

Here is a link to Evan’s Amazon wish list.