John’s Crazy Socks has opened submissions for the 2024 Autism Can Do Scholarship. There are three scholarships with the top prize of $5,000 to advance the winner’s education. Applications are due by March 15, 2024.
John Cronin, co-founder of John’s Crazy Socks and a young man with Down Syndrome, said, “I am so excited to support this scholarship. Many of my colleagues have autism and we want to celebrate the abilities of people with autism.”
The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism and Rangam co-sponsor the Autism Can Do Scholarship. The program offers three scholarship prizes:
- First Place: $5,000
- Second Place: $2,500
- Third Place: $1,000
Nick Savarese, Executive Director of the Flutie Foundation, said, “We know what people with autism can achieve and we want to help others to reach their fullest potential. The Autism Can Do Scholarship is a wonderful way to support people with autism.”
Rangam CEO and Co-founder Nish Parikh said, “We are an employment organization and believe the Autism Can Do Scholarship is an excellent opportunity to promote sustainable employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for diverse talent. Rangam is honored to be able to support this great initiative.”
Applying for the Scholarship
It is easy to apply for the scholarship. The application is online at the John’s Crazy Socks website.
We are a sock company so it is no surprise that we ask applicants to submit a sock design. You need not be a graphic artist to submit a design. None of the previous winners were graphic artists, they simply had an idea for a beautiful pair of socks. Show us socks you would love to see us make.
To enter, an applicant must live in the United States and be on the autism spectrum. Applicants must have finished high school or be in their last year of high school. They can apply the scholarship to any form of education or skill development.
The application consists of three parts:
- A simple application form
- A brief personal statement
- Submission of a sock design
John’s Crazy Socks is a social enterprise with a mission to spread happiness. Every day, we work to demonstrate what people with differing abilities can accomplish. More than half of our colleagues have a differing ability and many are on the autism spectrum.
“We see our colleagues on the autism spectrum perform terrific work every day,” says John’s co-founder and father, Mark X. Cronin. “We sponsor this scholarship to celebrate the achievements of people with autism.”
Mark added, “This scholarship is a gift from our customers. When they buy our socks, our customers make this scholarship possible.”
Past Winners
“We see our colleagues on the autism spectrum perform extraordinary work every day,” says John. “We sponsor this scholarship to celebrate the achievements of people with autism.”
Past winners include:
- 2023: Gracie Earley of Kiefer, Oklahoma who used the scholarship to pay tuition at Tulsa Community College.
- 2022: Thomas Albero of Northport, New York who used the scholarship to pay tuition at Drexel University.
- 2021: Isabella Blake of Irvine, California who used the scholarship to pay tuition at Irvine Valley College.
- 2020: Brandon Cheng of Wilmington, Massachusetts who used the scholarship to pay tuition at Assumption College.
- 2019: Garrett Nichols of Clinton, Arkansas who used the scholarship to attend the Joey Travolta Film School.
Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism
The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism has a mission to help people and families affected by autism live life to the fullest. The Foundation wants to create a world where people with autism lead productive lives where they are included, respected, and actively engaged in their communities.
Flutie Foundation programs and activities improve the quality of everyday life for people and families affected by autism along seven key dimensions that are critical to living each day fully. They aim to provide a path for education and/or employment during the day; opportunities for physical and social activity outside of work/school; and the tools to be safe, supported, and always informed. To learn more about the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism please visit their website www.flutiefoundation.org.
About Rangam
Rangam is a minority-, woman-, and disability-owned workforce solutions company with a mission to promote "Employment for Everyone," including people with disabilities, autism, and neurodivergence, in addition to service veterans. The organization delivers innovative workforce solutions by designing an integrated and inclusive recruiting methodology. Rangam specializes in attracting and retaining talent globally for IT, Engineering, Scientific, Clinical, Healthcare, Administrative, Finance, and Business Professionals categories.
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 $700,000 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 or YouTube channel. You can also contact us at 631-760-5625 or via email at service@johnscrazysocks.com.
