Bridgedale Partners with Niagara Frontier Transit Police to Donate 3,000 Pairs of Socks

May 7, 2018

Socks to Help Western N.Y. Residents Affected By Homelessness

Markham, Ontario, Canada – Bridgedale Outdoor Ltd, a global market leader in the manufacture of performance socks, has donated 3,000 socks to the Niagara Frontier Transit Police Department. The socks will be distributed via the Matt Urban Hope Center, a non-profit organization that provides housing and programs to those in need in Western New York. The Center also has a hub location in the NFTA bus terminal in downtown Buffalo.

“This donation is going to make a tremendous difference in the Western New York Community,” said Officer Dave Zarbo of the NFTA Transit Police. “We are so thankful to Bridgedale for stepping up to help make a difference for the men, women and children in our area who are struggling to stay warm and dry in our challenging climate.”

The Matt Urban Hope Center is an organization that regularly partners with the NFTA.

“The Matt Urban Hope Center is eternally thankful to both the NFTA and Bridgedale for coordinating this massive donation. We look forward to making sure we spread this gift out to all our partners in Western New York who are working tirelessly to end homelessness, one pair of socks at a time,” said Dan Auflick, Matt Urban Hope Center’s Director.

Officer Zarbo interacts with the homeless community in Buffalo on a daily basis and can see how they are struggling with wet socks and shoes. In 2017 he took it upon himself to do something that would enhance their lives by starting a sock and glove drive. The 2017 drive which included various community partners was a great success, but the need for donated socks never ends so he is continuing the program with partners such as Bridgedale. The 3,000 Bridgedale socks will be distributed to people experiencing homelessness in Buffalo throughout the spring and summer season.

“Our North American warehouse is located in the Buffalo area so it just makes sense for us to contribute to the community in a way that is meaningful,” said Anna Nikolaus, marketing manager at Bridgedale. “When we heard about Officer Zarbo’s drive, we wanted to be a part of this community effort to help those in need and to help fuel this program.”

About NFTA:

The NFTA is a regional multi-modal transportation authority responsible for airport and surface transportation in Erie and Niagara counties. NFTA/NFTM businesses include a bus, rail and paratransit system, the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and the Niagara Falls International Airport. In 2016, a J.D. Power study ranked the Buffalo Niagara International Airport second highest in customer satisfaction for medium sized airports in North America.

A June 2017 survey from the Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council of more than 9,500 transit riders indicated that 90 percent of NFTA-Metro customers said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the bus and rail system.

About Bridgedale:

Bridgedale, is a global market leader in the manufacture of technical socks for walking, hiking, mountaineering, running, and skiing. Using the latest hosiery machinery, the most progressive designs and the most advanced yarn technology, Bridgedale combines natural fibres with technical fibres ensuring their socks are comfortable, durable and perform in a variety of climates and conditions. Bridgedale socks are currently sold in more than 40 countries worldwide. www.bridgedale.com/usa

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