Giving Back Report for August 2022
In August 2022, we raised $5.689.84 for our charity partners. Through August 2022, we have now raised more than $530,152 for our charity partners. Giving Back is an essential part of our mission, and we are excited by our ability to support others. We continue to learn that the more we can give, the happier we are.
Our Giving Pack Program
A core aspect of our mission at John’s Crazy Socks is to demonstrate the capabilities and contributions of people with differing abilities. Our Giving Back Program helps us to achieve this mission. By donating to charities like the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Society, and the Autism Society of America, we enable them to do more work on behalf of people with intellectual disabilities.
John Cronin, the co-founder and inspiration behind John’s Crazy Socks, initiated the Giving Back Program by committing to donate five percent of our earnings to the Special Olympics even before we opened for business. John is a Special Olympics athlete and knows first-hand the difference the Special Olympics can make in the lives of all involved.
Since opening, we have added a growing list of Awareness Socks and Charity Socks that raise money for our charity partners. These include our Down Syndrome Awareness Socks, which John designed, and our Autism Awareness Socks. John loves to hand deliver the donations and our staff celebrates when we announce our Giving Back totals for the month.
Event: Lion Forum with the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation
On August 18 and 19, John and Mark travelled to Hyannis Port, Massachusetts to attend the Lion Forum hosted by the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation. In August 2021, John’s Crazy Socks was one of the eight companies to present their business at the inaugural event by the Foundation to support start-up companies from around the world who are working to improve the lives of persons with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. John’s Crazy Socks, as an alumnus, was invited to return as guests for the second annual event. 
On Thursday evening, John and Mark were invited to a welcome dinner at the home of Tim Shriver and Linda Potter. The opportunity to meet other entrepreneurs and discuss their visions for the future was fantastic. On Friday morning, it was inspiring to hear about the new work that the nine companies who presented this year are doing to help individuals with disabilities. On Thursday afternoon, John and Mark went sailing with the Kennedys once again in Nantucket Sound on a beautiful sailboat owned by Anthony Shriver and captained by Patrick Kennedy. 
Finally, on Friday evening, Chris and Sheila Kennedy hosted a dinner at their waterfront home in Hyannis Port. Once again, Tim Shriver asked John to help him close out the evening [and the conference] with him and John spoke about how the keys to spreading happiness are gratitude and doing for others, the mission of John’s Crazy Socks. John’s words resonated with everyone in attendance but especially with the members of the Kennedy family – many of whom are dedicated to a life of service both public and private. It was a special visit that will inspire John and Mark to continue their mission. 
Event: NDACP Conference – Fargo, North Dakota
On August 30, John and Mark were Fargo, North Dakota as the keynote speakers at the annual NDACP Conference. NDACP is the North Dakota Association of Community Providers - a state-wide association whose membership provides a wide range of services for people with disabilities.
John and Mark spoke to the conference attendees who were from 31 organizations across the state, providing services in 195+ communities. NDACP represents approximately 7,200 DD staff, 5,300 of whom are Direct Support Professionals, or DSP’s, and approximately 8,200 staff serving all populations. They serve approximately 4,000 individuals with developmental disabilities. After speaking to all attendees [and talking to many attendees individually who seemingly all wanted to take their photo with John], John and Mark led a break-out session talking about employment opportunities for people with differing abilities. Thee feedback from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive and many were visibly moved to hear about John’s story and his success.
Mark was especially pleased to attend this conference because North Dakota was the only state in the continental US that Mark had not been in prior to this conference. Now, John and Mark are talking about trying to visit both Alaska and Hawaii so that Mark can says that he has been in every state of the United States!
Giving Back – August 2022
This report covers sales and activities from August 1 through August 31, 2022.
Giving Back to the Special Olympics
We pledge 5 percent of our annual earnings to the Special Olympics. We also donate 5 percent of the sales from our Sock of the Month Club to the Special Olympics. In addition, each sale of Shark Socks, Polar Plunge Socks, and Spreading Happiness Socks results in a donation to the Special Olympics.
This month, we raised $402.83 for the Special Olympics. This includes $114.00 raised on August 11 – John Day – where we donated $1 to Special Olympics for every order placed that day.
Donations to Charity Partners
This table shows how much money we generated for each of our charitable partners.
|
Charity |
Monthly Donation |
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ACDS |
$ 76.85
$ 62.31
$ 72.25
$ 72.25
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American Cancer Society |
$ 100.13 |
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American Nurses Foundation |
$ 125.48 |
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Barbara Bush Family Literacy Foundation |
$ 14.09 |
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Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation |
$ 12.39 |
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Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation |
$ 1.40 |
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Heartshare |
$ 3.60 |
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Huntington Community First Aid Squad |
$ 2.80 |
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Lexington School for the Deaf |
$ 39.17 |
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Long Island Coalition Against Bullying |
$ 1.40 |
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LuMind Research Down Syndrome Foundation |
$ 4.20 |
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Nassau County Firefighters Museum and Education Center |
$ 1.40 |
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Nassau Suffolk Chapter of the Autism Society of America |
$ 20.19 |
|
National Down Syndrome Society |
$ 119.63 |
|
North Shore Animal League America |
$ 24.29 |
|
P.S. I Love You |
$ 1.40 |
|
Special Olympics |
$ 402.83 |
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The Whaling Museum and Education Center |
$ 5.99 |
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UCP – Long Island |
$ 3.40 |
|
William Syndrome Association |
$ 4.20 |
Donation of Boxes of Socks
In addition, we donated 39 boxes of socks to non-profit organizations for their use in fundraising by raffling or auctioning a box of socks to benefit their group. Some of the groups we donated boxes to include:
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· Special Olympics Louisiana, Northwest Area |
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· Down Home Ranch |
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· Special Olympics NY |
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· The Society of St. Johnland |
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· Down Syndrome Association of Greater Richmond |
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· Vocational Visions |
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· Families Exploring Down Syndrome |
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· Long Island Childrens Museum |
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· Garden Center Services |
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· Best Buddies Connecticut |
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· Down Syndrome Association of Greater Richmond |
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· New Avenues to Independence, Inc. |
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· Down Syndrome Support Team |
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· Trinity Services, Inc. |
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· United Cerebral Palsy
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Other Donations
In addition to our monthly charitable donations and sock donations, in August 2022, we donated $150.00 to Special Olympics.
Summary
In summary, we made the following donations in August 2022:
- Monthly Donations to Charity Partners $ 964.84
- Charity Boxes $ 4,575.00
- Other Donations $ 150.00
Total $ 5,689.84
Our Charity and Awareness Socks
Charity and Awareness Socks are a large part of our Giving Back Program. The sale of each Charity and Awareness sock results in a donation to a specific charity.
The following lists our Charity and Awareness Socks as well as the related charity partner.
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Sock |
Charity Partner |
Amount Given Per Sale |
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Autism Society of America (Nassau/Suffolk Chapter) and Autism Speaks |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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and |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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and |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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ACLD (Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities) is a Long Island-based not-for-profit agency dedicated to helping people with developmental disabilities and their families. |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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We created our Ability Revolution Socks to highlight the work and mission of Ability Revolution, a nonprofit that advances authentic inclusion for people of all abilities in workplaces, educational institutions, and communities. |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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These socks were developed with the National Down Syndrome Society to support their fight against Law Syndrome. “Down syndrome does not hold me back, antiquated laws do.” |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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The Special Olympics often sponsor Polar Plunge as fundraising events. We want these socks to add to the fun. |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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These socks honor Barbara Bush and President Bush’s devotion to his wife and her support of literacy. |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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These socks are in tribute to John’s “sock buddy”, President George H.W. Bush. |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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These socks support Gigi’s Playhouse in New York City. |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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The LuMind [Research Down Syndrome] Foundation’s four priorities are: preventing Alzheimer’s onset, improving cognition, developing gene therapies and advancing understanding |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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Made in collaboration with the P.S. I Love You Day Organization, these socks were designed to help raise awareness for the problems associated with bullying and mental health. |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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The LuMind [Research Down Syndrome] Foundation’s four priorities are: preventing Alzheimer’s onset, improving cognition, developing gene therapies and advancing understanding |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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Animal Rescue Pets Adopt Don't Shop Socks
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North Shore Animal League America is the world’s largest no-kill and animal rescue and adoption organization |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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North Shore Animal League America is the world’s largest no-kill and animal rescue and adoption organization |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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North Shore Animal League America is the world’s largest no-kill and animal rescue and adoption organization |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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North Shore Animal League America is the world’s largest no-kill and animal rescue and adoption organization |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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North Shore Animal League America is the world’s largest no-kill and animal rescue and adoption organization |
10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
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10% from the sale of every pair |
Nothing makes us happier than giving back to charity. We work together with our charity partners to help raise awareness for their causes. Then we report on this activity for our customers. Without you, none of this would be possible. Thank you.
If you have questions or would like to comment on this report, please contact Mark X. Cronin at mxcronin@JohnsCrazySocks.com.
