National underwear drive hits Halifax

Robb Price and Brent King delivered 3,500 pairs of underwear Wednesday to the Souls Harbour Rescue Mission on Cunard Street in Halifax, at the end of an RV road trip during which they gave out clean underwear at shelters across Canada.

The two men have been handing out 35,000 pairs of men's underwear, or "ginch," to 10 different shelters as part of their GotGinch program, which started in Vancouver.

"It's a funny thing to talk about ginch, gitch, tighty whities ... once you realize it's at the top of the list of homeless shelters nationwide it's a pretty big deal," said Price.

The nine boxes delivered to Souls Harbour marked the end of the road for the underwear tour. The underwear will be distributed during Thanksgiving dinner.

Michelle Porter, who works at the mission, said many homeless people can't afford underwear and simply go without.

"They are very needed. Someone just came to the GotGinch coffee break and said 'I know  a lot of people who just don't wear underwear' so Souls Harbour Mission is just thrilled and so happy to provide them."

The underwear was made under the two men's own brand. But before making the "ginch," they had to ask shelters: boxers or briefs?

The small survey in Calgary told them briefs were an overwhelming favourite for shelter patrons.

GotGinch is part of a larger effort called Delivergood.org, which matches charities or non-profit organizations with people or companies that can help supply needed products.