White, 82 years old and originally from Greece, runs a handmade belt and shoe store in Harvard Square. While walking around Harvard Square to find more homeless individuals to talk with, I was drawn to this store by three identical posters on the glass reading “Sock donation for the unhoused.” I went inside and spoke with the gentleman, Felix.

Felix used to work at this store before purchasing it around 1976. He has three grandsons, but only he lives in Cambridge. He maintains close ties with relatives and friends in Greece. Our conversation was intermittent, depending on the flow of visitors.

Why did Felix start collecting socks for the homeless?

It is a long story. Felix’s father gained a fortune in 1935 and returned to Greece with around $35,000, planning to make a good living. However, a deep recession hit Greece, causing him to go bankrupt. They were left with almost nothing and struggled to feed the family. They survived thanks to some very generous people and a strong belief in God.

Felix returned to the U.S. to be an apprentice when he was eleven. Through hard work, he gradually established his fortune, purchased the store, got married, and had children. About three years ago, he came up with the idea of collecting socks for the homeless. He collects two boxes of socks in one or two months. The Harvard Square shelter, located across the street, picks them up and donates them to the nearby homeless shelter. There are new and old socks, but all are professionally cleaned. Felix plans to continue doing this as long as his store is in business.