Cindy Kolarik believes that every child deserves the gift of play.
She is the founder and director of the Jared Box Project, a nonprofit organization that fills plastic storage boxes with games, toys, and activities, which are then given to children who are in hospitals.
Started in 2001 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic School in State College, the project honors Jared McMullen, a kindergartner who battled cancer. After McMullen’s passing, Kolarik was inspired to create special boxes for kids.
More than 200,000 Jared Boxes have been made in 47 states and delivered to more than 300 hospitals. Run entirely by volunteers and with the help of schools, scout troops, and churches, more than 400 boxes are made each month in Centre County and are delivered to area hospitals.
Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Kolarik earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and a MBA from West Virginia University in 1985. After working for a number of years in accounting, auditing, and financial planning in Pittsburgh, she moved to State College when her husband, Joe, accepted a job in the area. The couple has two children, Lauren and Joseph.
Town&Gown founder Mimi Barash Coppersmith sat down with Kolarik at the Tavern Restaurant in State College to discuss how she started the Jared Box Project and how people can become involved in the organization.
Mimi: Cindy, I’ve known of you and this project for a long time. I remember seeing an ad in Town&Gown about the Jared Box Project. I’ve invited you here because you’ve created a “stadium” of Jared Boxes.
Cindy: When I speak to schoolchildren making Jared Boxes, I like to use that reference. I ask them, “Have you been to Beaver Stadium? Imagine the stadium filled with children holding Jared Boxes — twice over. That is how many Jared Boxes have been made. That is how many children are smiling and playing with Jared Boxes.” It is a great visual of how one little boy’s spirit has helped hundreds of thousands.
Mimi: Tell our readers how this all got started.
Cindy: The Jared Box Project was started in memory of Jared McMullen, a kindergartner who attended Our Lady of Victory School. Jared was a brave little boy who battled cancer with the courage, positive attitude, and love of life that continues to inspire us all. He maintained his sense of humor and the joys of childhood through play. After he passed away, I was left with a feeling that something needed to be done to honor his memory. It was also important to show his OLV classmates how to deal with their sadness, to make something good come out of something bad. Jared’s sweet personality set the idea in motion. While he was at the hospital getting his treatment, instead of being scared or overwhelmed, he noticed other children who were sad and nervous. He shared his toys and even invited them to join him in a game of Uno or Old Maid. Taking Jared’s example, we decided to give children the gift of play and started with the simple idea of toys in a box. This was to be a one-time project to be done at OLV’s Vacation Bible School. What has happened since then is just incredible! The project just took off and grew beyond our wildest dreams. Soon after we started making Jared Boxes, Town&Gown offered to put
an ad in the magazine about Jared Boxes. That ad ran for years and was our first true form of publicity. People from across the county called and asked about Jared Boxes, saying they read about the project in the Town&Gown — thousands of visitors to State College pick up the Town&Gown.
Mimi: How old was Jared?
Cindy: Jared was in preschool when he was diagnosed and passed away in his kindergarten year. [His parents] Craig and Ruth McMullen were such an inspiration to our community. They showed that a strong faith can provide strength and comfort in the face of one of life’s worst tragedies. Ruth’s goal every day was to make Jared’s life as normal and fun as possible. Through the good days and the bad, she forged ahead with a smile on her face and made sure Jared enjoyed the simple, carefree life that other preschoolers enjoyed. I recall seeing Ruth push Jared in his wheelchair out to the school playground so he could play capture the flag with his buddies. I am sure the McMullens have no idea how many people admire and respect the example they set for all of us.
Mimi: How does the project work? Who makes all these Jared Boxes?
Cindy: The Jared Box Project is a service project. Groups such as schools, churches, scouts, businesses, etc. make Jared Boxes and deliver them to their local hospitals. Jared Boxes are the gift of play and are easy, inexpensive, and fun to make. A Jared Box is a plastic shoebox filled with games and toys, books, stuffed animals, and card games. In addition to the toys, each box contains a handwritten note to the child receiving the box. Each box is different and is filled with toys selected by the person making the box.
Mimi: You are now in all but three states: Hawaii, Arkansas, and Wyoming?
Cindy: Yes, but to be honest, Jared Boxes may be in those states, too. Anyone from across the country can learn about Jared Boxes on our Web site. While I keep a list of how many and where boxes are made, Jared Boxes are certainly being made without me ever knowing it. Here is a perfect example: The King’s College (in Wilkes-Barre) baseball team has been making Jared Boxes for years, making well over 5,000 boxes in total. They just looked at the Web site and “figured it out” on their own. It wasn’t until I stumbled onto a story on Facebook about the King’s College effort that I learned about it!
Mimi: You have had nationwide impact essentially through word of mouth?
Cindy: Yes, that is true. Just in the past few weeks, I have heard from a Daisy Girl Scout Troop in Long Beach, California, a group of college students in San Juan, Puerto Rico, BYN Mellon in Pittsburgh, and the Moose Club in Clarence. Honestly, I get excited each morning when I open my e-mail — always something new!
Mimi: I was thinking somehow I have to contact NBC news. The evening program has a segment at the end called “Making a Difference,” and the Jared Box is a living example of what they report on. So these people just start making Jared Boxes, and they get the information and the ingredients from you. How do you do that?
Cindy: The Jared Box Project took a simple idea of toys in a box and created a nationally recognized service project. The simplicity of the project allows everyone to practice small acts of kindness. It is really all in the way it is organized. From our Web site, you can learn about the project, obtain a list of ideas of toys to put in the boxes, and can print labels for the boxes. From our hospital directory, you can look up a local hospital in your area. Whether you make one or 1,000 Jared Boxes, the idea is the same. We have tweaked the process over the years to make it simple and straightforward. I think this has made the Jared Box Project
a popular service project for kids of all ages. Again, the Web site is the key.
Mimi: Do the service groups that do this buy their own contents?
Cindy: Yes. Groups making the boxes provide their own supplies. Fortunately, Jared Boxes are inexpensive to make. Toys are readily available at Dollar Stores, Walmart, and Target. We estimate that a Jared Box can be made for around $10. Jared Boxes are made with a particular age group in mind. On the end of each box, we place a label. The label tells whether the box is for a boy or a girl. The label also allows you to check off an age category. So when boxes are delivered to hospitals, Jared Boxes can easily be stored
by gender and age group. This insures that the boxes are age appropriate and helps the hospital, too. Many groups making boxes will hold toy drives, have fundraisers, or will ask businesses for donations. I often hear that Jared Boxes are as much fun to make as they are to receive!
Mimi: These boxes come with all the little decorations on it?
Cindy: That is part of the fun of making a Jared Box. We encourage groups to decorate the outside of the boxes with stickers. Plastic boxes are transformed into colorful boxes filled with well-wishes, hope, and love.
Mimi: There’s a wonderful message that goes along with it. The givers are giving unrestricted philanthropy and public service.
Cindy: You are exactly right! The Jared Box highlights how people want to help others. The Thank You notes we receive make it all worthwhile. Parents tell of how the boxes put a smile on their child’s face, make the stay easier, and make them feel special. As a parent, I can imagine how hard hospital stays can be on the entire family. I am brought to tears time and again as I read the Thank You notes and learn how the simple idea of toys in a box can be just what a child needed to get them through a scary appointment or painful procedure.
Mimi: In the beginning, the first major marriage with a strong organization was Mount Nittany Health System. Tell us about that relationship. How did it begin and what it looks like today?
Cindy: The Jared Box Project at Mount Nittany is well established and runs like a well- oiled machine. In working with the Volunteer Services Organization, we determined that Mount Nittany Medical Center can use over 200 boxes per month! Boxes are given to children in the emergency room, surgical center, patient rooms, at the cancer center. Boxes are also given to Centre Volunteers in Medicine and to the Children’s Advocacy Center. Through the generous help of local groups making Jared Boxes, we have been able to keep up with Mount Nittany’s needs. The Stor-All Self Storage Center on Science Park Road donated a large storage locker for our use. As local groups make Jared Boxes, we store the boxes there. Linda Lewis, a MNMS Volunteer, spends countless hours a week to make sure the departments handing out Jared Boxes are well stocked! When we are running low, Linda contacts me, and we start getting to word out. It is so heartwarming to see how the State College community always answers the call. It’s incredible — I post it on Facebook, and my phone starts ringing.
Mimi: How many Jared Boxes do you think you circulate in a year in Centre County?
Cindy: Locally, I would guess about 5,000 Jared Boxes are made each year. One local family makes four Jared Boxes a month and has done so for years. Children often make Jared Boxes at birthday parties. Instead of asking for presents, guests bring toys and make Jared Boxes. In addition, local schools, businesses, scouts, and civic organizations make Jared Boxes.
Mimi: In the beginning, you developed a close relationship with Geisinger in Danville.
Cindy: Jared had his treatments at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville, so that is where it all started. Jared Boxes were first made by the children at Our Lady of Victory Vacation Bible School in 2001. The hospital staff absolutely loved the boxes. They explained how the boxes made the hospital less scary and provided their young patients with a home away from home. Jared Boxes calmed the nerves of the children and parents alike. At that point, I realized that Jared Boxes were something quite special. While most hospitals have toy closets or playrooms, Jared Boxes are unique because they are personal gifts to the children — theirs to keep. Since then, Our Lady of Victory Catholic School has made Jared Boxes annually for the children at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital.
Mimi: So what do you want to do next?
Cindy: Since the beginning, we have been run by a handful of volunteers. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and have a proven project in place. I have to say, we are ready for the next big step. We need a corporate sponsor, a grant,
or the support of a foundation that can help us maintain and grow. I have a dream of having the funds available to hire a part-time director. Throw in some graphic design and public relations services. Jared’s favorite card game was Uno. Wouldn’t it be great if we could get Mattel as a sponsor and Uno cards in every box! Sorry you got me started! I could go on and on.Just imagine
the impact we could have with a few of these ideas in place!
Mimi: Maybe this interview will get you some additional inquiries. What a remarkable thing you have begun. Tell our readers how they can get involved and be in touch with you.
Cindy: Our email is thejaredbox@gmail .com, our Web site is www.thejaredbox.com, and our Facebook page is The Jared Box Project — they’re great places to learn more about the project. The Facebook page has been a great tool for us. I post pictures of groups making boxes, children receiving boxes, and Thank You notes we’ve received.
Mimi: This time of the year, when you have lots of people to thank, it’s important to thank an organization for the beautiful stuff they do. I think your story is the story of a woman who saw an important need and was motivated by grief to do something truly meaningful. I wish you a very special holiday — you’ve earned it! Thank you for sharing.
Cindy: Thank you Mimi for this opportunity to share this sweet story with your readers. It is blessing and such a joy to be a part of this project. Each day I get to see the best that people have to offer.
