Jeremy Garriga

In 2011, Jeremy Garriga learned of a need for new, warm socks among the guests at New Jersey’s Hoboken Shelter where he volunteers. Through his work as a volunteer, Garriga saw firsthand that the shelter clients were lacking warm socks to brave the elements. As a result, he founded Soxcess, a sock drive initiative to provide as many needy people in the community with new socks.

For the past three holiday seasons, Garriga has collaborated with Jersey City and Hudson County, NJ to place collection bins in area libraries, municipal buildings, and hospitals. During the first two holiday seasons, more than 2,200 pairs of new socks were donated as well as many other winter accessories, in which four local shelters benefited from the collection.

Additionally, Garriga teamed up with two major retailers who provide donated goods. First, he engaged a Jersey City Target store that continues to provide the Hoboken shelter with volunteers armed with socks and basic needs for the guests. Each year, they also help prepare and serve over 100 meals to the shelter’s guests. Second, he worked with LUSH stores, an international retailer specializing in natural cosmetics, to secure donations of hand-made quality soaps to give out to those residing at the shelter.

This year, DOSomething.org, a national not-for-profit that helps young people change the world, awarded Garriga a seed grant to help him fund the sock drive initiative and continue to help provide socks and winter accessories for needy people in Hudson County.

Growing up, Garriga was raised serving others. His first exposure was as a small child. He worked alongside his family at United Way, Making Strides for Breast Cancer, and Relay for Life service events.

Now a high-school senior, Garriga feels he has a moral obligation to help the less fortunate although he has modest means. His mission is to advocate for the homeless in every way possible.