With State College roots, the Jared Box Project surpasses 1M donations across the US
Matt Hymowitz
·1 min read
The Jared Box Project began as a way for Our Lady of Victory School students to honor the life of a classmate. More than 20 years later, the organization is celebrating 1 million Jared Boxes made in all 50 states.
Jared Boxes are plastic shoe boxes filled with gifts, toys, cards, games and other activities that are given to children in emergency rooms, hospital rooms, surgical centers and clinics.
The Jared Box Project was started by OLV students in 2001 in memory of classmate Jared McMullen. The youngster would bring a backpack full of toys and games to medical appointments and share them with other children as he fought cancer. He died in 2000 at age 6.
After Jared’s death, his classmates made 81 Jared Boxes for children at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville. Other community groups soon followed, and the project spread across the country.
A celebration to mark the the milestone is planned for 2-4 p.m. Aug. 6 at the OLV gym in State College. Admission is free and attendees can make their own Jared Boxes.
“While thousands of volunteers from across the country played a part in this joyous achievement and Jared Box is nationally recognized, we felt it was important to revisit where it all began — at Jared’s elementary school,” Executive Director Cindy Kolarik said in a written statement.
Here’s a look at the Jared Box Project over the years.
The beginning
Jared McMullen, the inspiration for Jared Boxes.
Marc McMullen, 9, right, pauses while taking a break from making Jared Boxes, in honor of his 6-year-old brother who died from cancer. With him at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church’s vacation Bible school are Kyle Surovec, 9, of Boalsburg, left, and Joey Oehlert, 8. of Bridgeport. This photo was taken June 20, 2001.
Some of the recipients
A child receives a Jared Box.
A child receives a Jared Box.
A child receives a Jared Box.
Growing over the years
In 2016, the Keller Williams Advantage Realty office of State College made 45 Jared Boxes for Mount Nittany Medical Center.
In 2016, Delta Sigma Pi, one of Penn State’s professional business fraternities at Smeal College of Business, made Jared Boxes as a pledge class community service project.
In 2017, the GFWC State College Woman’s Club made 72 Jared Boxes for the children at Mount Nittany Health.
In 2017, the State College Area High School main office staff made Jared Boxes for the children at Mount Nittany Health.
In 2019, the Foxdale Village environmental services staff made 40 Jared Boxes for toddlers at Mount Nittany Health.
In 2021, the Jared Box Project partnered with the Pittsburgh-area Allegheny Health Network, including West Penn Hospital.
In 2021, Rettew’s Harrisburg office made Jared Boxes and delivered them to Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill.
Alex Parsons, a member of Boy Scout Troop 20 of Centre Hall and a 10th grader at Penns Valley Area High School, recently created 216 Jared Boxes and earned Eagle Scout honors. As part of his project, he also presented The Jared Box Project with a donation of $500.
All five of these hitters were drafted highly in fantasy baseball leagues. So far, they have not lived up to their ADPs — and that's an understatement. Scott Pianowski analyzes.
Rivian has had a lot on its plate as it transitioned from pitch mode to selling EVs. It created an electric pickup and an electric SUV while prepping a monster IPO. It now plans to sell an even cheaper SUV that could make Rivian a dominant EV player for years to come.
