Andrew San Angelo's Newtown Middle School 8 Purple cluster homeroom was treated to a surprise lunch on Wednesday, November 23, for collecting the most socks for the school's "Socktober" drive in October.

School counselor Sue Connelly said the school as a whole collected 816 pairs of new socks.

"This cluster collected about 50 percent of those," Ms Connelly said.

The sock collection was divided between the MACC Charities (Manchester Area Conference of Churches) and the Bridgeport Rescue Mission, according to Ms Connelly. Socks are the top most-requested item from homeless shelters and charities, Ms Connelly said, but they can also be the item least gifted to organizations.

"So Socktober was born this year at NMS," she said, "and we are really proud of the kids."

After students in the homeroom were settled at their desks, School Resource Officer William Chapman introduced his friend Ben Dubow from MACC Charities. Mr Dubow explained he runs the soup kitchen and food pantry for MACC Charities, and it serves roughly 1,400 people each month. The foundation also provides food for children without easy access to food at home on weekends, when schools cannot provide food for them, he shared. While Mr Dubow said he has worked for MACC Charities for the last six years, he first starting cooking at the age of 12.

"We are in the dignity and hope business," he said, explaining that MACC Charities focuses on providing nutritious and healthful food for its patrons.

Mr Dubow also said MACC Charities runs a culinary chef program, called MACC Chef, which is designed for those with barriers to jobs. The culinary chef program runs for 24 weeks, and it also oversees a community catering business.

"Socks make a huge difference... They are going to be a big blessing to a lot of people, so thank you," said Mr Dubow, before explaining members currently in the MACC Chef course worked to create the lunch the students were being treated to that afternoon. "They were really excited to make this for you, so I hope you guys enjoy it."

The lunch included fried chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, and cookies.