While researchers at U of T are busy developing new treatments for stroke patients and the technology to make bendable computer screens, one U of T student has come up with an ingenious way to provide warmth and food to homeless people. The idea is simple and affordable. It involves potatoes and socks.

Iris Halbert says the idea came from a story she read as a girl about European peasants coping with harsh winter climates. She read that peasants would put potatoes in the evening’s expiring coals, and in the morning they would put the hot potatoes in their pockets as they did their chores or walked to school. Later on, after it cooled, that same potato became a nutritious snack.

Halbert took her idea of giving homeless people hot baked potatoes wrapped up inside socks (to be worn after the potato is eaten) to Ve’ahavta, the Canadian Jewish Humanitarian and Relief Committee. Ve’ahavta (which means “…and you shall love”) loved the idea and now delivers the toasty and tasty tubers all over Toronto with the help of the Native Men’s Residence.

Darryl Borden, director of homeless initiatives at Ve’ahavta, estimates they have delivered at least 500 potatoes so far. The program started on Jan. 14. He says they are just beginning to develop an infrastructure for the Hot Potato Tikun Olam Program. (Tikun Olam is Hebrew for “repair the world.”) They still need more volunteers -particularly those with ovens to actually bake the potatoes-and, of course, more money.

A radio reporter happened to see them on their first night out, Borden says, and since then their hot potatoes have been a hot topic in the media. Now the PEI Potato Board is donating “as many potatoes as we want,” he says. And, McGregor Socks has already donated over one million socks to Ve’ahavta.

“Socks themselves are gold in the streets,” Borden says.

The program has been well received in the streets, as well as the media.

Borden says the initial reaction on the street is generally “Thank you I’m hungry.” But after it is explained the potato will retain heat for three to five hours, and should be deposited in the pocket or sleeping bag, the reaction changes to mild amusement and then again, gratitude. Some people do see the potato’s potential right away, however. Borden recalls how one man immediately applied the hot potato to his sore shoulder, aching from carrying his bag of belongings around all day.

Considering the amount of bad press carbohydrates have been receiving these days it may be shocking for some people to learn that the potato is actually a great source of fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals-including vitamin C and potassium. Dr. Thomas Wolever, an expert in nutrition at U of T, says he thinks it’s a great idea and the potato would provide lots of energy. The only downside is that it doesn’t provide very many calories. “A 200 gram potato has about the same as an apple-it has 140 or 150 calories,” he says.

When asked what he might add to the potatoes to make them more caloric or tasty, Borden laughs loudly and says: “A steak!”

All joking aside, this month the cold weather has been so enduring it would be difficult not to notice the homeless who are living “rough.” The city called an extreme cold weather alert on Jan. 7 and it has been in effect almost every day since. Last year there were a total of 40 extreme cold weather alert days in Toronto. Borden says right now the hot potato program is reaching out to the “hardcore element” -people who, for whatever reason, don’t want to use shelters.