HANCOCK COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -
Hope Haven Children's Services needs your help to "Sock It To The Kids". It's a relief drive to collect socks, mittens and sweats for the children of the Northeast affected by Hurricane Sandy.
As WLOX NEWS found out, it's an idea inspired by the New York Firefighters who have supplied Christmas gifts to Coast children every year since Hurricane Katrina.
After playing Santa to thousands of Coast children for seven years, Hurricane Sandy has prevented the New York Firefighters from making the trip this year.
"In spite of that, these firemen with their big hearts were still concerned about our kids down here. They feel like they're turning their backs on the kids down here and of course they are not. They have helped out a lot during our time of need," said Executive Director of Hope Haven Terry Latham.
Latham said the good hearted firefighters asked him to make them a promise.
"We pledged to the New York City firemen that every single child that would have received a gift from them under their program would receive Christmas gifts this year in their name in their honor," explained Latham.
He said it's time to pay it forward and help the firemen help the children of their own community.
"We all know what it was like after Katrina. It was hot. It must be even worse to go through a hurricane like that, the devastation and then have that cold weather set in. And we thought warm socks, warm sweats and warm mittens would be a wonderful thing to go ahead and collect."
He said you can drop of any of those items at any fire department in Hancock County. All sizes are needed.
"The plans were so far along for this year they had already shipped down tow pallets full of toys. My first question to them was, do you want me to ship those toys back and their answer was, 'No'."
The collection drive will end November 30.
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