• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
The Threaded Cross ministry begun by Stephen Cleary had him making the rounds on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard March 12. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Between a sock and a hard place

April 16, 2019
By Emily Rosenthal Alster
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Feature, Local News, News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Stephen Cleary hands a man named Lauro a pair of new white socks in the park outside St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Baltimore. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

At least once a week, Stephen Cleary sets out in his 1998 black Jeep Cherokee to cruise the streets of Baltimore City.

Cleary bought it used two years ago, and replaced the sagging interior roof with red buffalo plaid. Hockey jerseys serve as seat covers. The Jeep mobilizes his ministry, Threaded Cross, which provides clean socks to those in need.

As his typical route made its way around M&T Bank Stadium March 12, some recognized his Jeep and came over with a smile; new faces were equally happy to receive the socks. All were appreciative; most shared a smile.

“Want a pair of socks?” Cleary queried as he leaned out the window.

“Yessir,” one man replied.

Near the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. and Washington boulevards, a man named Mike – better known to his friends as “Papa Smurf” – accepted the donation and said, “I think it’s cool. I needed a pair of socks.”

Cleary founded Threaded Cross 10 years ago after recognizing the need when volunteering with his parish, Our Lady of the Fields in Millersville, at monthly dinners at St. Vincent de Paul in Baltimore. He estimates that he since has given out 50,000 pairs of socks.

The outreach was right up his alley.

After working for a snowboard company in Vermont, in 2004 Cleary founded and led Eesa, a company focused on socks for skiers and snowboarders. In 2009, he became Under Armour’s director of accessories and licensing, and moved his family to Maryland.

For every dollar donated, Cleary can supply those in need with a pair of new white crew socks. That covers the cost of the socks, which Cleary gets from a Christian vendor in Alabama, and operating expenses.

While Cleary works both as a consultant and for a mobile device repair business, Threaded Cross has been a full-time mission for he and his wife, Roseann, since October 2018.

“Instead of giving (people asking for money) a buck, I give them a pair of socks,” Cleary said of what he calls “Joy-Ride-A-Longs.” “I love meeting people. … Wherever people are in their lives, I just like talking to people – even if they don’t like talking to me.”

According to the Office of the Mayor, approximately 2,500 men, women and children are homeless on any given night in Baltimore.

Cleary was undaunted last December, after panhandlers were blamed for the murder of Jacquelyn Smith, a crime since charged to her husband and stepdaughter.

Outside St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Cleary gave a pair of socks to Lauro. The Mexico native immediately put them on.

“Muchas gracias,” Lauro said. “Thank you very much.”

Plain white crew socks were chosen intentionally, as they allow medical providers to see if a patient has any bleeding due to sores or other injuries.

The future of Threaded Cross, Cleary said, will be facilitating sock drives for other organizations. Our Lady of the Fields, for instance, has used the ministry as the confirmation class’ service project.

An online sock drive requires no costs or minimums. Cleary, the intermediary, gets a good price for the socks, which are handed off to the organization or distributed by Threaded Cross.

Every fourth Friday, Cleary distributes socks at St. Vincent de Paul, usually around 300 pairs. He often does the same at the Franciscan Center.

Cleary aims to distribute 3,000 pairs of socks each month in Baltimore, then expand the ministry to Washington, D.C.

“Our demand exceeds our supply,” Cleary said. “I just feel like I’m doing God’s work.”

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Emily Rosenthal Alster

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Religious sisters played role in pope’s formation in grade school, N.J. province discovers

  • With an Augustinian in chair of St. Peter, order sees growing interest in vocations

  • Hundreds gather at Rebuilt Conference 2025 to ‘imagine what’s possible’ in parish ministry

  • Communicate hope with gentleness

  • ‘The Ritual’ seeks to portray exorcism respectfully

| Latest Local News |

OLPH’s fourth eucharistic procession, set for June 21, ‘speaks to the heart’

Franciscan Sister Francis Anita Rizzo, who served in Baltimore for 18 years, dies at 95

Hundreds gather at Rebuilt Conference 2025 to ‘imagine what’s possible’ in parish ministry

Radio Interview: Dominican sister at Mount de Sales shares faith journey from astrophysics to religious life

Mount de Sales Dominican sister shares journey after pursuing science, finding faith 

| Latest World News |

Prayers continue for release of abducted Nigerian priest who recently served in Alaska

Kyiv’s historic cathedral damaged in Russian air strikes

Vatican bank reports increased profits, charitable giving

UN secretary-general meets Pope Leo, top Vatican officials

Call out to Jesus for healing; he will hear you, pope says

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Prayers continue for release of abducted Nigerian priest who recently served in Alaska
  • Kyiv’s historic cathedral damaged in Russian air strikes
  • Vatican bank reports increased profits, charitable giving
  • UN secretary-general meets Pope Leo, top Vatican officials
  • Call out to Jesus for healing; he will hear you, pope says
  • Movie Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’
  • Yes, it’s our war, too
  • OLPH’s fourth eucharistic procession, set for June 21, ‘speaks to the heart’
  • Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en