The Buy Nothing Day Coat Exchange, Rhode Island’s largest statewide coat drive, is hosting its 3rd annual Spare a Pair Sock and Underwear Drive from now through April 1.

In addition to collecting brand new, unopened socks and underwear for adults of all sizes and genders, the Coat Exchange is partnering with local nonprofit Red.Lined Period to collect menstrual products.

Founded in 2020, Red.Lined.Period increases access to menstrual hygiene supplies in Rhode Island’s most vulnerable communities, where cost, availability, and portability are an increasing issue. All menstrual products collected by the Coat Exchange between now and April 1 will be donated directly to Red.Lined.Period, which will assemble and distribute kits throughout the state to help end period insecurity and period poverty in Rhode Island. 

According to the RI Coalition to End Homelessness, more than 350 Rhode Islanders were living outdoors as of December 2023 with an additional 750 living in shelters, further emphasizing the need for sock and underwear donations; these items are among the most requested by those either living unhoused or in shelters. Every pair of socks or underwear collected through the Spare a Pair drive will be distributed directly to individuals in need by members of the Coat Exchange and its trusted network of community partners. 

Those looking to donate can either drop off items at the Coat Exchange’s Cranston, East Greenwich, or Providence locations, or order items online and have them shipped to Cranston or East Greenwich. Collection site addresses can be found at RICoatExchange.org. Contributions are also welcomed via the nonprofit’s GoFundMe fundraiser. Collection site addresses and GoFundMe information can be found at RICoatExchange.org. 

Donors are also welcome to host their own collection site at their business, workplace, or school by emailing ricoatdrive@gmail.com or registering via the contact form at RICoatExchange.org. Collection will end on April 1, with organizers distributing donations on a rolling basis as they are collected directly to people experiencing homelessness and to local nonprofits who assist Rhode Islanders in need.

Items to donate include: brand new, unopened socks or underwear for adults of all sizes and genders (sizes small through 5X); menstrual products such as pads, tampons, and panty liners, which can be donated in bulk packaging (a box of 24 or more) provided they remain individually wrapped within the packaging; or new cosmetic pouches, which are used to build the kits Red.Lined.Period donates to schools and community locations. 


Launched more than 20 years ago by Rhode Island activist Greg Gerritt, the Buy Nothing Day Coat Exchange is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit and an extension of Buy Nothing Day, an international day of protest against consumerism that runs concurrent with Black Friday, the United States’ busiest shopping day of the year. In recent years, local organizers have expanded beyond collecting solely for the Buy Nothing Day event to include the Spare a Pair Sock and Underwear Drive, held annually at the start of each calendar year.