Jake Katz, a 16-year-old Torrey Pines High School junior from Rancho Santa Fe, has launched the Silly Socks Box. The project delivers care packages filled with socks, snacks and hygiene products to children experiencing homelessness in San Diego County.
The initiative is part of CareCrewSD, a community service organization Katz founded in early 2026. He distributes the boxes through Care House, a San Diego nonprofit serving families in hardship, including children ages 6 to 12.
Each box contains three pairs of colorful socks, nut-free granola bars, a juice box, a toothbrush, toothpaste and a $10 gift card. Katz designed the packages to be practical but also fun for kids, he told the San Diego Union-Tribune. He and other teenagers assemble the packages and deliver them to Care House, which gets them to children through the schools it serves.
The idea came from a mother served by Care House who explained that meeting her children's everyday needs can be challenging, and that sometimes there isn't enough money left for items as basic as socks.
"Through them, I learned that kids not far from our community were going to school worried about having enough food or where they would sleep that night," Katz said of his connection to Care House. "That hit differently."
Katz said he was inspired to start CareCrewSD after his mother, Cecile Giraud, a Care House board member, introduced him to the nonprofit's work. Since launching the organization, he has held a community fundraiser involving local churches and private companies, led a book drive and delivered more than 200 "Smiley Bags" filled with easy-to-prepare food for children.
He balances the volunteer work with school, ACT prep tutoring, a part-time job at Nick the Greek in 4S Ranch, piano lessons and AP French online. He played for the Torrey Pines JV Falcons basketball team last year.
Residents who want to contribute can donate items through an Amazon Wish List at carecrewsd.org or contact Katz at [email protected]. CareCrewSD posts updates on Instagram at @CareCrewSD.
