Education is a lifelong pursuit and for John Cronin, his formal education began at ACDS which he attended for pre-school. That experience helped John on his journey as he received speech therapy – in those days, John could not speak – learned basic school concepts and had the opportunity to grow with other students. John and his family are forever grateful for his time at ACDS and John showed that gratitude as he returned for a visit and delivered a donation.
“I love ACDS and want to show my appreciation for what they did for me and so many other students,” said John Cronin, co-founder and Chief Happiness Officer at John’s Crazy Socks. ACDS is one of the foundational charity partners at John’s Crazy Socks and we donate money from our Down-syndrome themed socks and products to the organization.
John visited with some of the students and presented a “big check” to Megan Lombardo, the Chief Operating Officer for ACDS.
Megan said, “We love it when John comes for a visit as he always brings a smile and spreads happiness. We love seeing our graduates go on and find success. John serves as a role model for our students.”
John Cronin and ACDS
At 18 months, John Cronin would board a bus and ride from his then home in Huntington Bay to the ACDS school which at the time was located in Bellmore on Long Island. His willingness and joy in riding that bus sparked some of the independence that John has demonstrated throughout his life. In addition to this classroom work, John received physical, occupational and speech therapy. It may seem hard to believe now as John records his videos, appears on podcasts and speaks to groups across the country, but in those days, he could not speak.
John benefitted from the learning program as well as the socialization that came from meeting, learning, and playing with his classmates.
“John’s time at ACDS was so important,” said Mark X. Cronin, John’s father and co-founder of John’s Crazy Socks, “We could see the boost it gave him in his development. The lessons learned and the experience gained at ACDS continue to reverberate in John’s life today.”
John has grown and so has ACDS. They relocated their Long Island school to Plainview and opened a second school in Westchester. They operate group homes and provide services for adults as well. Where they originally served people with Down syndrome (and were called the Association for Children with Down Syndrome), ACDS now serves a broad spectrum of students and people with differing abilities.
John’s Crazy Socks and ACDS
John’s Crazy Socks has a mission to spread happiness and John will tell you that happiness is based on doing for others and gratitude. Our Giving Back program is part of how we spread happiness and it enables us to show our gratitude for the work of our charity partners and to support the work they do. We sell Down syndrome themed socks – some of which John has designed – and a portion of the sales of each of those socks goes to ACDS. Those socks also support the work of the National Down Syndrome Society.
In addition to donations made to ACDS, John’s Crazy Socks has hosted a workgroup from ACDS where clients get exposure to the workplace and gain some working experience. John has also supported ACDS by speaking at and promoting fundraising events with the organization.
About ACDS
Based on Long Island, ACDS provides lifetime resources of exceptional quality, innovation, and inclusion for individuals with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities and their families. Their programs serve three broad age groups: Early childhood and preschool years, 5 years plus, and adult years. You can learn more about ACDS at their website (www.acds.org).
When John first attended ACDS, they were called the Association for Children with Down Syndrome. They operated out of temporary space in Bellmore, New York. Today, they have broadened their mission to serve children with differing abilities, moved to larger, permanent quarters in Plainview, New York, expanded into a facility in Scarsdale in Westchester County and will soon open a second facility in Westchester. They have moved beyond pre-school programs to offer a host of services that support people across their lifespan.
About John’s Crazy Socks
John’s Crazy Socks was inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun socks—what he calls his “crazy socks.” He and his father, Mark X. Cronin, started the company as a social enterprise with a mission of Spreading Happiness™. With more than 4,000 socks, John’s Crazy Socks is now the world’s largest sock store. More than half their employees have a differing ability, and their Giving Back program has raised over $630,000 for charity partners like the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Society, and the Autism Society of America. Most of all, they are Spreading Happiness™.
For more information about John’s Crazy Socks, visit our webpage, Facebook page, Instagram account, TikTok or YouTube channel. You can also contact us at 631-760-5625 or via email at service@johnscrazysocks.com.
