U.S. Congressman Visits John's Crazy Socks On Long Island

FARMINGDALE, NY — U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R—NY) visited John's Crazy Socks on Jan. 23, the business announced.

LaLota met with the staff and the father and son co-founders, John and Mark X. Cronin. John and his father, Mark, bootstrapped their start up into what Mark said is the world’s largest sock store.

"John’s Crazy Socks is a beacon for showing what people with differing abilities can do," Mark said in a news release. "John is not only an entrepreneur, but he has Down syndrome and more than half the employees at John’s Crazy Socks have a differing ability. Therefore, some of the day with the Congressman included a conversation about legislation that can support people with differing abilities."

LaLota told the co-founders he is "so impressed" by the business they built and its impact.

"I wanted the Congressman to see our business and the work that my colleagues do," John said. "I want him to know what people with differing abilities can do when given a chance."

John gave LaLota a tour of the offices and warehouse and demonstrated the pick and pack process that enables John’s Crazy Socks to do same day shipping with an error rate less than 0.2%. They do this because of the excellent work of their colleagues who have a differing ability, Mark said.

"We demonstrate that hiring people with differing abilities is not altruism, it is good business," Mark said.

John and Mark shared stories of the impact that giving a person an opportunity to earn a job has had on their lives.

"The jobs you create are so important," LaLota told them, according to the news release. "We want to create more opportunities like this."

Mark said John's Crazy Socks has allowed him and John to meet with elected officials and policymakers.

"That creates an obligation for us to speak up on issues for people with differing abilities," Mark said.

LaLota told the Cronins that he is interested to learn what he and Congress can do to better support employment for people with differing abilities, according to Mark. They discussed legislation that would eliminate the subminimum wage which allows employers to pay people with a disability as little as five cents an hour.

They also discussed raising the SSI asset limits, which have been frozen at $2,000 since 1989, to $10,000 for individual beneficiaries, $20,000 for married couples, and annually adjust for inflation.

"The Congressman came to listen and took careful notes," John said. "I liked that."

John and Mark are members for the CEO Commission for Disability Employment and ambassadors for the National Down Syndrome Society and are fierce advocates for people with differing abilities, Mark said.

John presented LaLota with a gift of Unity Socks. John first designed and produced his Unity Socks in 2020. They are dark blue with American flags on them.

"I sent a pair of Unity Socks to every member of Congress asking them to talk to each other and get along," John said.

Although they had only met briefly once before, LaLota and Mark had something in common: They are both graduates of St. Anthony’s High School and one could see the imprint that their high school left on both men. Mark congratulated LaLota as he and his wife will be honored at this year’s St. Anthony’s Gala Dinner.