John’s Crazy Socks Helps the Virginia ABLEnow Program Spread Happiness
The Virginia ABLEnow Program, a division of the Virginia College Savings Plan, recently purchased 1,500 custom socks [in adult large, adult regular, and children’s sizes] from John’s Crazy Socks. The sock company worked with them to create a unique sock featuring the ABLEnow logo and their distinct colors of blue and purple. But the joint endeavor didn’t end there. ABLEnow asked John’s Crazy Socks to ship individual pairs of socks to participants in the program around the country. ABLEnow permits Virginia residents with disabilities to deposit money into a saving and investment account that will not affect public benefits such as Medicaid, SSI, HUD, and other programs. Accounts earnings also grow tax-free at both the federal and state level when funds are used for qualified disability expenses.
John’s Crazy Socks was particularly excited to help with this project since this is a program, and cause, that is dear to its heart. In November 2019, John and Mark Cronin hosted an informational event at their offices in Melville, New York to provide information about ABLE accounts to their employees, friends, and their families and why the ability to permit people with differing abilities to save money without jeopardizing their benefits is a good thing. The Comptroller of NY State, Thomas DiNapoli, came to the meeting and explained the program to all attendees.
ABLEnow sent these great new custom socks to any participant in their program who made a deposit into their ABLE account in February 2022. The initiative was a huge success and the ABLEnow participants who have received the socks have loved them! Here’s a great photo shared by Liz Rourke! 
John Cronin, co-founder and Chief Happiness Officer at John’s Crazy Socks, said, “I love these socks that are used to help people with disabilities, people like me, save money. It’s so important.”
John’s Crazy Socks Works with Non-Profits and Charities to Help Them Fulfill Their Missions
John’s Crazy Socks works with many organizations like ABLEnow who are looking for unique gifts to support their efforts. For example, the Whaling Museum and Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor used gifts of socks to thank their supporters following their annual fundraising appeal. Colleges and universities like the College of Holy Cross, have created custom socks that they offered as a reward for donating. Holy Cross raised over $100,000 through a fundraising campaign using these socks. Other non-profits like Special Olympic organizations and Ability Revolution used socks from John’s Crazy Socks as donor gifts to raise funds.
Many schools, PTAs and SEPTAs have bought custom socks to re-sell as fundraisers and generate more money in a single effort than they do with bake sales year-round. John’s Crazy Socks also has a Charity Fundraising Program that is both touchless and remote that helps non-profits and charities raise money in a fun and easy way, The company has a range of services for businesses and non-profits including arranging special gift packages like they did for Google, Wellpath and the Goulet Pen Company.
If you would like to learn more or want help creating your own custom socks or with your fundraising efforts, we would be glad to help. Just call 631-760-5625 or email us at carol@johnscrazysocks.com.
Mark X. Cronin, co-founder of John’s Crazy Socks with his son John said, “Giving back is baked into everything we do. Helping businesses, charities and non-profits highlight their work in the community is an essential part of what we do.”
About ABLEnow and the Virginia College Savings Plan
The Stephen Beck Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, better known as the ABLE Act, received strong political support across party lines when it passed in 2014.
This federal legislation opened the door for ABLE programs, which must be set up and administered by a state. In 2015, Virginia became the first state in the country to pass ABLE legislation following the federal ABLE statute. The state legislation authorized development of the Virginia-sponsored ABLE program, ABLEnow.
And thanks to a 2015 amendment of the ABLE Act eliminating a state residency requirement, ABLEnow opened for national enrollment in December 2016.
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 to spread happiness. They spread happiness by offering the socks you can love that let you express yourself, by giving back, by creating jobs for people with differing abilities and 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.
