The beginning of the pandemic was an extremely tough time for us all, especially those in assisted living facilities who had to be confined to their rooms with little to no interaction with other people.
About a week before the entire world shut down, Elle Gianelli and her mom Rachelle attended an arts and crafts fair at a nursing home near their home in Stockton, California.
When lockdown hit, the then 14-year-old and her mom wondered how the people at the nursing home were spending their time. It was while they pondered that question when they came up with the idea to send the seniors socks.
Elle explained in a GoFundMe that silly socks have always been a “passion” and since they bring a smile to her face she hoped they would also bring a smile to others as well.
Since beginning her quest to deliver silly socks to seniors in 2020, she’s handed out nearly 3,500 pairs.
Initially Elle saved up some of her own money and delivered boxes of socks to assisted living facilities and nursing homes near her home, but once she realized the impact she was making she set a goal to deliver socks to seniors in all 50 states.
For each senior Elle picks out a wacky pair of socks and puts them inside a bag along with a special note.
“My hope is that one day in the near future I’ll be able to personally deliver each and every pair, but for now I provide special notes with my socks.”
“As a parent, it’s amazing. I mean, I think you always want your kids to do something. You tell them, ‘Find something you’re passionate about,’” Rachelle told Fox40 in January 2021.
As Elle’s silly socks for seniors has grown so have the number of requests. Her mother told People they have “requests from all over the world.”
Each request means the mother-daughter team has the opportunity to form a relationship with people they may otherwise have never met.
“For such a small investment of her time, the impact is overwhelming,” Rachelle said. “She wants to put a smile on the faces of these seniors, one pair of socks at a time.”
Elle, you are a difference-maker! Continue putting smiles on people’s faces and you will go very far in life.
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