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Chloe Cunningham has been chosen the Soroptimist International of La Conner chapter’s April’s Soroptimist Honored Student of the Month. This is the essay she submitted to the chapter:

My name is Chloe Cunningham. I’m 16 years old and a sophomore at La Conner High School. I’ve been attending La Conner Schools since kindergarten and have lived here my whole life. Many of you might know me as the person that collects socks for the homeless, through my company Just Say Socks. Volunteer work is something I’ve been drawn to ever since I was little. Growing up in the family I did, I’ve always been taught basic kindness and to never doubt my power as an individual. My parents have always encouraged me and my two sisters to discover what we feel passionate about and then jump in where we see a need.

I started my sock drive when I was in sixth grade, after I visited a homeless resource center in Seattle called Just Say Hello with my middle school leadership class (shout out to Mrs. Marble and Mrs. Lisser!). At Just Say Hello their focus is to create change by the way the homeless community is viewed. They supply people battling homelessness with tents, tarps, sleeping bags, clothes and hygiene supplies. While they support with immediate needs, they are not just a resource center. Just Say Hello works to create relationships with those living outside as well as to diminish stereotypes about people experiencing homelessness.

So much has changed since I first got involved with Just Say Hello but what will never change is how much my first experience impacted me. I used to think of the issue of homelessness as a whole. I felt like the issue was too big for me to help at all, but when you take a step back, instead of seeing one huge obstacle you see individuals: people struggling: human beings.

Just Say Hello taught me to never judge someone and about how everyone has a story. I’ve learned that it doesn’t take a lot to change someone’s life, as little as genuine human connection can impact someone. I knew I needed to share with anyone I could hoping I would be able to touch someone as Just Say Hello touched me. That is why I started collecting socks. People living outside spend their lives on their feet and go through socks like crazy. The La Conner community has been so generous in helping me with my sock drive every year. I am also a giving partner with Bombas Sock Company and to date I have donated over 12,000 pairs of socks. Thank you, La Conner!

Currently it is a very difficult time for all of us. We are all impacted in ways that we never thought imaginable. Even though it is a time of isolation, we really are a part of the world in a bigger way. I encourage everyone to continue to help others less fortunate than ourselves. It is always important but even more now to help those most vulnerable.

Submitted by: Soroptimist International of La Conner