Teen Delivers Warm Socks and a Smile to Seniors Around the U.S.

Kate Hogan
·2 min read
Teen Delivers Warm Socks and a Smile to Seniors Around the U.S.

Elle Gianelli wanted to share warm fuzzies with people living in nursing homes during the COVID pandemic — so she found a creative way to do just that.

Born out of her love for wearing silly socks on the golf course, the now-16-year-old launched Socks4Seniors, raising money via GoFundMe to purchase and deliver bright, patterned socks and thoughtful notes to those in assisted living facilities, with a goal of reaching people in all 50 states. (She has covered 40 to date.)

"For such a small investment of her time, the impact is overwhelming," says her mom, Rachelle, who helps with the project. "She wants to put a smile on the faces of these seniors, one pair of socks at a time."

It all started when Elle and Rachelle took a field trip to a local nursing facility for an arts and crafts event in early 2020. The next week, "the whole world shut down," Rachelle recalls. "We were sitting around thinking, 'What are those people doing? They're stuck in their rooms without visitors or activities.' Then it hit us to send them the socks."

Socks 4 Seniors, a program started by Elle Gianelli when she was 14 years old. November 2022. Stockton, CA
Socks 4 Seniors, a program started by Elle Gianelli when she was 14 years old. November 2022. Stockton, CA

Rachelle Gianelli Elle Gianelli with some of her Socks4Seniors

Elle began by sprinkling packages locally around her hometown of Stockton, California, and then she and her mother decided to "make a geography lesson out of it," Rachelle jokes. So they found an assisted living center in each state to reach out to via social media, and it snowballed from there.

Now, "she has requests from all over the world," says Rachelle, who adds that Elle keeps in touch with some of the seniors she's met. "Since, sadly over time, residents in these places change, there's always a need. And what we've learned is that some seniors never have visitors, COVID aside. It's been eye opening, and shows this small amount of our time can make such a difference."

Socks 4 Seniors: from zoom calls with tickled recipients to the socks. The Lady with yellow socks and cherries is Claire Whitehouse, 87 from Advinia Care Northbridge, a facility that received socks and the picture was taken and posted 8/1/22
Socks 4 Seniors: from zoom calls with tickled recipients to the socks. The Lady with yellow socks and cherries is Claire Whitehouse, 87 from Advinia Care Northbridge, a facility that received socks and the picture was taken and posted 8/1/22

Rachelle Gianelli; Socks 4 Seniors Claire Whitehouse, 87, of Advinia Care Northbridge in Massachusetts, with her socks

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Though mom and daughter don't plan to expand their giving beyond socks, they're looking into more creative ways to fundraise as their giving grows. And with that, Rachelle's pride for her daughter grows, too.

"Elle has always been the giving type," says Rachelle. "It's just something in her nature. I'm so proud."