The Jared Box Project
The Jared Box Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 that delivers plastic shoeboxes filled with age-appropriate toys and activities to children in hospitals across the United States and Canada via a volunteer-driven model, partnering with over 600 hospitals and supporting corporate team-building turnkey events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersPort Matilda, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Jared Box Project does
The Jared Box Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2001 by students of Our Lady of Victory Catholic School in State College, Pennsylvania, to honor their classmate Jared during his battle with cancer. Headquartered in Port Matilda, Pennsylvania and operating with 1-10 employees plus a 12-member Board of Directors under Executive Director Cindy Kolarik, the organization delivers plastic shoebox-sized containers filled with age- and gender-appropriate toys, games, crayons, coloring books, and activities ("Jared Boxes") to children in hospitals, surgical centers, emergency rooms, and clinics. Since founding, it has delivered more than 1,000,000 Jared Boxes to over 600 partner hospitals across the United States and Canada.
The organization operates a volunteer-driven, community-led model: individuals, families, schools, scout troops, and corporate groups assemble boxes using provided instructions and deliver them directly to registered hospitals via a publicly searchable hospital directory. Supporting offerings include a group-oriented "Jared Box for Groups" program, Turnkey Events with virtual and in-person formats at per-box pricing for corporate team-building, and an online tracking form ("Jared Box Smiles Delivered") that lets box makers log deliveries. There is no proprietary technology underlying the offering; operations rely on donated supplies, a website (thejaredbox.org), email newsletters, social media, and word-of-mouth.
Revenue is generated through tax-deductible individual and business donations, corporate sponsorships (with M&T Bank Charitable Foundation cited as a 2024 contributor), and per-box fees for managed Turnkey Events. Pricing for sponsorship and event services is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based. Customer segments include pediatric patients (primary recipients), hospitals and Child Life/Volunteer Services departments (distribution partners), and volunteers/groups (supply-side participants).
The Jared Box Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Jared Box Project
- Legal name
- The Jared Box Project
- Website
- https://thejaredbox.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Jared Box Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 that delivers plastic shoeboxes filled with age-appropriate toys and activities to children in hospitals across the United States and Canada via a volunteer-driven model, partnering with over 600 hospitals and supporting corporate team-building turnkey events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Jared Box Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Hospital Charity Programs
- NAICS
- Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gift Basket & Curated Hamper Assembly (HSACANAD)
Keywords
Where The Jared Box Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Port Matilda
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
The Jared Box Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Tax-Deductible Donations: The organization receives contributions from individuals and businesses. Donations are tax-deductible as it is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors help fund the Jared Box Project through various sponsorship levels, supporting the delivery of smiles to hundreds of children each year.
- Turnkey Event Fees: Organizations can pay for turnkey events where the Jared Box Project team manages all logistics for corporate team-building activities using simple per-box pricing.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Jared Box Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Jared Box Project provides plastic shoebox-sized storage boxes filled with small gifts, toys, games, crayons, coloring books, and fun activities selected for a specific age and gender, delivered to children in hospitals to provide entertainment and distraction during their hospital experience. The organization supports a community-driven volunteer model where individuals, families, schools, and organizations make and deliver Jared Boxes directly to hospitals, supplemented by paid turnkey event services for corporate team-building activities.
Product overview
The Jared Box Project offers a single primary product—the Jared Box—along with supporting programs. The Jared Box is a plastic shoebox-sized container filled with age-appropriate and gender-specific toys, games, crayons, coloring books, and activities. The organization also provides group engagement programs (Jared Box for Groups and Turnkey Events) for organizations seeking team building activities, and a tracking system for volunteers to report box deliveries. The core offering is the physical box itself, supplemented by downloadable resources, event management services, and impact tracking capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Jared Box A plastic shoebox-sized storage box filled with small gifts, toys, games, crayons, coloring books, and fun activities selected for a specific age and gender. The boxes are given to children in hospitals to provide entertainment, distraction, and comfort during their hospital experience. Free to recipients and distributed through partner hospitals.
- Jared Box for Groups A group-oriented program designed for schools, organizations, and businesses to create Jared Boxes together as team-building exercises or community service projects. Provides instructions, downloadable resources, and support for group box-making activities.
- Turnkey Events Managed event services where the Jared Box Project team handles all logistics for organizations hosting Jared Box creation events. Available in both virtual and in-person formats with per-box pricing for corporate team-building activities.
Companies that use The Jared Box Project
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Jared Box Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Jared Box Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Our Lady of Victory Catholic School (OLVCS)coreOLVCS in State College, Pennsylvania created Jared Boxes in 2026, marking 25 years of partnership. This school originally founded the project in 2001 to honor their classmate Jared and continues as a key volunteer partner.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Jared Box Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Toys for Tots: Toys for Tots is a large-scale toy gifting charity run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. It is comparable as a community-driven, donation-funded nonprofit that distributes toys to children in need, though its scope extends beyond hospitalized children to broader pediatric gift-giving.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities: RMHC supports families with sick children near and in hospitals through lodging and family services. Comparable as an established, donation-funded pediatric hospital nonprofit with a broad volunteer and corporate sponsor model.
- Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: Children's Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds for pediatric hospitals across North America. It is comparable as a nonprofit operating in the pediatric hospital support space with a similar geographic footprint and hospital network strategy.
- Make-A-Wish Foundation: Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children with critical illnesses, frequently fulfilled in or around hospital settings. It is comparable as a large pediatric-health nonprofit that creates tangible joy for hospitalized children, though its offerings go beyond small gift boxes.
Direct peers
- Kids Wish Network: Kids Wish Network grants wishes and delivers gifts to children with life-threatening illnesses. Comparable as a gift-driven pediatric nonprofit with a hospital-aligned distribution model.
- Spirit of Children: Spirit of Children focuses on Halloween-costume and in-hospital entertainment funding for children's hospitals. Directly comparable as a donation-funded nonprofit that places tangible items (costumes, toys) into pediatric hospital settings.
- Project Sunshine: Project Sunshine provides programs, toys, and volunteer-led activities for children with medical needs in hospitals. It overlaps directly with Jared Box's pediatric hospital gifting and volunteer-driven engagement model.
- Starlight Children's Foundation: Starlight Children's Foundation delivers toys, games, and entertainment programs to hospitalized children across the U.S. It is the closest direct peer to Jared Box in mission and beneficiary population (pediatric inpatients).
Emerging players
- A Kids' Book of Hope / Huggs from Heaven: Huggs (Huggs from Heaven) delivers comfort items, toys, and books to hospitalized children, similar in scope to a Jared Box but smaller in scale. Comparable as a regional/emerging nonprofit gifting organization serving pediatric hospital patients.
Regional players
- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Alex's Lemonade Stand funds pediatric cancer research and support services. Comparable as a community-driven, donations-funded nonprofit with a pediatric hospital beneficiary focus, though oriented toward research funding rather than gift delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Jared Box Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Jared Box Project compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The Jared Box Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Jared Box Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
The Jared Box Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Jared Box Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Jared Box Project
What does The Jared Box Project do?
The Jared Box Project provides plastic shoebox-sized storage boxes filled with small gifts, toys, games, crayons, coloring books, and fun activities selected for a specific age and gender, delivered to children in hospitals to provide entertainment and distraction during their hospital experience. The organization supports a community-driven volunteer model where individuals, families, schools, and organizations make and deliver Jared Boxes directly to hospitals, supplemented by paid turnkey event services for corporate team-building activities.
Is The Jared Box Project a public or private company?
The Jared Box Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Jared Box Project founded?
The Jared Box Project was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Jared Box Project based?
The Jared Box Project is headquartered in Port Matilda, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Jared Box Project make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tax-Deductible Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships and turnkey Event Fees.
Who are The Jared Box Project's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Toys for Tots, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and Make-A-Wish Foundation. Direct peers are Kids Wish Network, Spirit of Children, Project Sunshine and Starlight Children's Foundation. A Kids' Book of Hope / Huggs from Heaven is listed as an emerging player. Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is listed as a regional player.
Does The Jared Box Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Jared Box Project.
What industry is The Jared Box Project in?
The Jared Box Project's product category is Children's Hospital Charity Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACANAD, Gift Basket & Curated Hamper Assembly. Its NAICS code is 813219.