It’s a warm and fuzzy idea … and it could be coming our way.

Socks for Seniors began 10 years ago by accident, says organizer Jamie Coyne. While he was taking part in music therapy sessions with seniors at a retirement home, one woman expressed her longing for a “nice pair of socks to keep my feet warm.”

Coyne and his wife responded with socks for all of the home’s residents, and a nonprofit project born in Ohio has now become a national endeavor.

“It all starts with one person, one box, and one location,” Coyne said. “It’s simple and easy, not time consuming, and takes no money to do.”

Colorful, fun socks are favorites with the seniors, he’s found, serving as conversation starters.

“It’s a bright point in their day — it’s not just socks, but that somebody would do something nice for them,” Coyne said.

Socks for Seniors is currently seeking groups or individuals to kick off the program in Garner and surrounding areas. If you can decorate a box, you’re qualified, Coyne says.

All socks go to residents of local retirement facilities.

“You can start with a box at work; we also have churches, businesses and women’s clubs participating,” Coyne said.

The Socks for Seniors website helps publicize drop-off sites, and the organization can connect local volunteers with area retirement homes to explain the program.

The annual sock drives usually begin in late October or early November, with volunteers distributing socks just before Christmas, often at retirement homes’ holiday parties.

“It’s kind of a surprise for them to get a unique pair of socks,” Coyne said. “And besides, we all know a brand new, thick pair of socks does feel pretty good.”

For more information on the project, visit www.socksforseniors.com or call Jamie Coyne at (614) 239-9688.