Get Your Wheels on Fire Socks Today!

The Viscardi Center is thrilled to announce that it is John’s Crazy Socks’ latest charity partner. John’s Crazy Socks is a father-son social enterprise, here on Long Island, inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome. 10% of the sales of John’s latest sock design, titled Wheels on Fire, will benefit The Viscardi Center.

The design was inspired by fellow Long Island residents Erin Bonner and her 7-year-old son, Bear, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy and uses a power wheelchair to navigate through life. He lovingly refers to his wheelchair as his race car, hence the bright colors and the racing stripes. The wheelchair image, with orange flames emanating from the wheels, reflects the tenacity of individuals with disabilities who never let their disability hold them back.

“We see entrepreneurship as a viable employment pathway for individuals with disabilities and John’s success exemplifies this thinking,” said Dr. Chris Rosa, President & CEO, The Viscardi Center. “He serves as a role model to fellow self-starters, and we’re honored to have been selected as a partner. Together, our organizations are educating our neighbors locally and beyond about the power of work.”

John Cronin, co-founder of John’s Crazy Socks, shared, “We love these socks and are so happy that they will celebrate and support The Viscardi Center.”

“The Viscardi Center was a natural choice for a charity partner as soon as we saw the winning design of our annual sock design contest,” added Mark X. Cronin, co-founder, John’s Crazy Socks. “Increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities is at the core of Viscardi’s work since its inception, so the Center aligns well with our social and retail missions. We hope to see some designs from Viscardi’s students and program participants entered in our 2023 design contest.”

The crew style socks are available in two sizes, to fit men, women, and children. Click here to purchase your pair and fire up our mission to educate, employ, and empower children and adults with disabilities.

About The Viscardi Center

The Viscardi Center, a network of non-profit organizations based in Albertson, NY, provides a lifespan of services that educate, employ, and empower people with disabilities. Its programs and services include Pre-K through High School education (to age 21), school-to-work transition services, vocational training and job placement, digital accessibility services, entrepreneurship, veteran employment and workforce diversification assistance to children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and businesses. It was founded in 1952 by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr. who himself wore prosthetic legs, served as disability advisor to eight U.S. Presidents, from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter, and became one of the world’s leading advocates for people with disabilities.