For the for past five years, Alfredo Sanchez’s birthday wish has been for the community to help him collect more than 3,000 pairs of socks for the homeless. Photo courtesy of Alfredo Sanchez

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) – Every March, Citrus Heights local Alfredo Sanchez, known as Snack Man, becomes Sock Man for a month. For the past five years, his birthday wish has been for the community to help him collect more than 3,000 pairs of socks for the homeless.

Sanchez, who turns 62 years old this year, is a well-known friend and advocate to the local homeless population in his neighborhood on Greenback Lane.

“The reason for 3,000 pairs is that I go out 300 times a year and hand out about 10 pairs of socks each time. When I run out of what I’ve got for the day that’s it,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez estimates that he visits around 7,000 homeless people with snacks and personal care items each year.  Friends help drive him around to make these visits, which greatly extends the range he can cover. This is compared to his usual method of handing items out on a colorful electric scooter that Sanchez calls the “Snackmobile.”

Sara Wheeler, co-owner of the Grocery Outlet on 6059 Greenback Lane, has a colorful barrel ready to be filled up several times in the next three weeks to help make this happen.

In 2021, Wheeler’s husband suggested to Sanchez, a frequent customer, to put a bin in their store for the sock donations. That was the beginning of a tradition and became “a fixture in our community,” said Wheeler.

Socks can be dropped off at 6253 Longford Drive at any time. For those who prefer to shop online and have their socks delivered, Sanchez suggests buying from Amazon as it has deals. Larger socks size 11 or 12 are best for men and women. Sanchez is “very grateful” to all his donors who contribute to the sock drive that runs through March 31.

Sanchez can be found on Facebook and YouTube @thesnackmancitrusheights.