Knock Knock Give a Sock

Homeless Servicesknockknockgiveasock.org

Knock Knock Give a Sock is a NYC-based nonprofit that collects and distributes socks to homeless shelters via corporate and college sock drives, and runs Meet Your Neighbor Dinners to humanize homelessness through direct community engagement.

Company typePrivate
Founded2015
HeadquartersNew York, United States
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Knock Knock Give a Sock does

Knock Knock Give a Sock (KKGS) is a New York City-based nonprofit organization founded in 2015 by Adina Lichtman, then a sophomore at NYU. The organization collects new socks — identified as the most needed but least donated article of clothing for people experiencing homelessness — from corporate offices, college campuses, and community groups, and distributes them to homeless shelters across NYC. Since founding, KKGS reports collecting and distributing over 3,000,000 pairs of socks, with current annual throughput exceeding 1,000,000 pairs across 523 schools and offices.

The core product is a two-step engagement model: partner organizations first host a sock drive (KKGS provides branded bins and pickup logistics in NYC), and are then offered a "Meet Your Neighbor Dinner" — a sit-down event pairing corporate employees with shelter residents to humanize homelessness through direct interaction. The portfolio is broadened by Meet Your Neighbor Game Nights at shelters, the Sockcess Job Program (which hires shelter residents to help distribute socks), the annual Happy Holiday Carnival serving ~300 shelter children, the Woodsock Music Festival pairing shelter artists with mainstream artists, and books sold via a Shopify storefront.

The business model is donation-driven, supported by a corporate partner roster that includes Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Blackstone, Deloitte, Salesforce, Accenture, WeWork, Facebook NY, Hilton, Nike, Toyota, and others. Secondary revenue comes from Shopify book sales and Givebutter-based online donations. Operations are run by a small core team (Founder, Administrative Associate, Program Director) and governed by a board drawing from Bessemer Venture Partners, Bank of America, KPMG, Stonepeak Partners, Adobe, Salesforce, and Newmark. There is no proprietary technology platform, and the organization operates exclusively within the United States with geographic concentration in NYC.

Knock Knock Give a Sock firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Knock Knock Give a Sock
Legal name: Knock Knock Give A Sock
Website: https://knockknockgiveasock.org
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2015
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: Knock Knock Give a Sock is a NYC-based nonprofit that collects and distributes socks to homeless shelters via corporate and college sock drives, and runs Meet Your Neighbor Dinners to humanize homelessness through direct community engagement.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Knock Knock Give a Sock industry classification

Industry

Product category: Homeless Services
NAICS: Other Community Housing Services (624229)
akta.pro primary industry: Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

Sock donation drives
Homeless services
Community engagement programs
Charitable fundraising
Nonprofit social services

Where Knock Knock Give a Sock is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: New York
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Knock Knock Give a Sock business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Donations: KKGS relies primarily on donations from individuals and corporate sponsors to fund sock collection and distribution operations. Donations also support the Sockcess Job Program which employs shelter residents.
Book Sales: KKGS sells books through their Shopify storefront as a secondary revenue stream.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Knock Knock Give a Sock product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Knock Knock Give a Sock (KKGS) is a nonprofit that collects new socks from corporate offices, college campuses, and community sock drives, and distributes them to individuals experiencing homelessness in New York City shelters. It complements sock distribution with relationship-building programs such as Meet Your Neighbor Dinners and Game Nights, the Sockcess Job Program that employs shelter residents, and community events including the Happy Holiday Carnival and WoodSock Music Festival.

Product overview

Knock Knock Give a Sock operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs centered on sock collection and community engagement to humanize homelessness. The core offering consists of a Sock Collection and Distribution Program that collects socks from corporate offices and college campuses and distributes them to homeless individuals. This is complemented by Meet Your Neighbor programs (Dinners and Game Nights) that facilitate direct interaction between housed and unhoused neighbors. The organization also runs annual signature events including the Happy Holiday Carnival for shelter children and the Woodsock Music Festival. A key differentiator is the Sockcess Job Program, which employs shelter residents to help distribute socks. Additionally, the organization sells published books through a Shopify store. The products work together to transform simple sock donations into meaningful human connections while addressing both immediate material needs and longer-term community integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Sock Collection and Distribution Program
Meet Your Neighbor Dinners
Meet Your Neighbor Game Nights
Sockcess Job Program
Happy Holiday Carnival
Woodsock Music Festival
KKGS Books

Quantifiable outcome

3,000,000+ pairs of socks collected and distributed since founding
+2 more outcomes

Companies that use Knock Knock Give a Sock

Customer profile

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Knock Knock Give a Sock technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Knock Knock Give a Sock partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

31 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

MyGradPadminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that has helped KKGS turn transactions into interactions through Meet Your Neighbor programs.
WeWorkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that has provided space and support for KKGS sock drives and community events.
ToyotaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that has supported KKGS sock collection efforts.
Girl ScoutsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization involved in sock donation initiatives.
ForbesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured in Forbes coverage for Giving Tuesday impact organizations.
LinkedInminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting KKGS community engagement programs.
Goldman SachscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate partner that has helped KKGS turn transactions into interactions through Meet Your Neighbor programs.
SalesforcecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner listed as having helped KKGS scale operations.
DeloittecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate partner involved in KKGS sock drives and community programs.
JP Morgan & ChasecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate partner that has participated in Meet Your Neighbor Dinners.
Morgan StanleycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting KKGS community engagement initiatives.
ChasecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner involved in KKGS sock drives and programs.
BlackstonecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting KKGS community programs.
AccenturecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate partner involved in KKGS sock collection efforts.
Facebook Offices NYcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner (Facebook NY office) participating in KKGS programs.
Hello FreshminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting KKGS sock donation initiatives.
HiltonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner involved in KKGS community programs.
Warner BrothersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting KKGS.
Nike SohominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner (Nike Soho location) involved in KKGS programs.
UJA-Federation of New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner (Jewish Federation) supporting KKGS mission and operations.
Business InsiderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner covering KKGS impact and programs.
IBMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting KKGS community initiatives.
Capital One BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner involved in KKGS programs.
TD BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting KKGS.
General ElectricminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner involved in KKGS sock drives.
IndeedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting KKGS programs.
The Mars AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing agency partner supporting KKGS.
21st Century FoxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner (now part of Disney) supporting KKGS.
W MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner covering KKGS.
Bustle Digital GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital media partner that covered KKGS founder story.
Kartell, CBRE, Deloitte DigitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious corporate partners supporting KKGS community engagement.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Knock Knock Give a Sock competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Volunteers of America Greater New York: Large national-affiliate nonprofit operating housing, behavioral health, and veteran services in NYC. Comparable mission serving homeless populations in NYC but as part of a much broader multi-service portfolio.
Habitat for Humanity New York City: NYC affiliate of Habitat for Humanity focused on affordable housing development and home repairs. Comparable in NYC homelessness/affordable-housing focus and corporate volunteer engagement, though centered on housing construction rather than direct service.

Others

UJA-Federation of New York: Large NYC Jewish federation and core strategic partner/funding organization for KKGS. Comparable as a NYC-based social services funder that supports homeless services, while serving primarily as KKGS's fiscal/strategic umbrella rather than direct competitor.

Emerging players

Socks for Souls: Smaller nonprofit focused specifically on sock collection for homeless individuals. Direct niche overlap with KKGS's core product, though with a more transactional donation model lacking the Meet Your Neighbor engagement layer.

Direct peers

Covenant House: Large NYC-based nonprofit serving homeless and trafficking-survivor youth with shelter, housing, and employment programs. Directly comparable as a NYC homelessness-services organization pursuing corporate partnerships and donor engagement, though operating at much greater scale.
New York Cares: NYC's leading volunteer-mobilization nonprofit connecting corporate employee volunteers with nonprofits. Comparable in NYC-focused corporate volunteer activation model, though at significantly larger scale and broader scope than KKGS.
Project Renewal: NYC nonprofit focused on ending homelessness through housing, healthcare, and employment programs. Directly comparable in mission and NYC focus, with stronger emphasis on durable housing outcomes versus KKGS's sock-and-engagement approach.
Bowery Mission: Historic NYC nonprofit providing shelter, meals, clothing, and recovery programs to homeless individuals. Directly comparable mission and NYC geography, with a broader service portfolio and similarly active corporate partner network.
Help USA: NYC-based national nonprofit operating transitional and permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals and families. Comparable in mission and NYC operating geography with a housing-first model contrasting KKGS's donations-and-engagement model.
The Doe Fund: NYC nonprofit offering transitional housing, workforce development, and dignity-driven programs (including Ready, Willing, Able) for formerly homeless and incarcerated individuals. Comparable NYC base and emphasis on employment pathways similar to KKGS's Sockcess program.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Knock Knock Give a Sock financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Knock Knock Give a Sock leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Knock Knock Give a Sock funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Knock Knock Give a Sock M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Knock Knock Give a Sock

What does Knock Knock Give a Sock do?

Is Knock Knock Give a Sock a public or private company?

Knock Knock Give a Sock is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was Knock Knock Give a Sock founded?

Knock Knock Give a Sock was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is Knock Knock Give a Sock based?

Knock Knock Give a Sock is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.

How does Knock Knock Give a Sock make money?

Two revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are book Sales.

Who are Knock Knock Give a Sock's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Volunteers of America Greater New York and Habitat for Humanity New York City. UJA-Federation of New York is listed as an others. Socks for Souls is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Covenant House, New York Cares, Project Renewal, Bowery Mission, Help USA and The Doe Fund.

Does Knock Knock Give a Sock have an API?

No public API is recorded for Knock Knock Give a Sock.

What industry is Knock Knock Give a Sock in?

Knock Knock Give a Sock's product category is Homeless Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts). Its NAICS code is 624229.