NEW MIDDLETOWN, Ohio - A New Middletown student is hosting a month-long charity event with the goal of collecting socks to distribute to local homeless shelters.

12-year-old Francesca Battaglini is now in her third year of hosting her "Socktober" drive where she collects socks throughout the month to distribute to the shelters.

Battaglini says she was inspired by a YouTube video she watched featuring television and YouTube personality, Kid President, as well as Grover from "Sesame Street."

The video encouraged viewers to take part in the "Socktober Challenge" and donate socks to those in need. From there, Battaglini started a drive of her own and received a positive response.

"People just thought it was great that I was doing it and I was very happy with myself," Battaglini said.

Battaglini says she was not involved in any after-school activities, so this gave her something to do after school.

During its first year in 2019, Battaglini received 500 socks for distribution, but in 2020, that number increased exponentially to 3,000 thanks to assistance from a local SubWay restaurant.

Battaglini says one of her teachers knew the manager of the SubWay location in New Middletown and suggested the restaurant have a day in which 20% of each sale would go towards the drive.

If customers missed out on this day, there was also a bin at the restaurant in which customers could drop off socks.

SubWay is once again helping Battaglini with "Socktober 2021," but Battaglini got even more help this year with help from ATA Martial Arts in Poland and St. Paul the Apostle Roman Catholic Parish in New Middletown as well.

In addition to donating socks via these bins, donors can also send money through Venmo by scanning a QR code, which can be found on the "Francesca's #Socktober" Facebook page.