Every year, thousands of pounds of crayons are thrown away by restaurants and schools. Bryan Ware noticed this and had an amazing idea of what to do with them.
“When I first had the concept for The Crayon Initiative in 2011, it started with a small idea and big possibilities,” Bryan writes on Facebook.
Photo credit: Facebook / The Crayon Initiative
He and his small group of volunteers collect the crayons from schools and restaurants.
Photo credit: Facebook / The Crayon Initiative
They melt the crayons down and and pour them into special custom molds.
Photo credit: Facebook / The Crayon Initiative
The molds make 96 new crayons. They are thicker than the average crayon.
Photo credit: Facebook / The Crayon Initiative
The reason they are thicker is so young children and kids with special needs can hold onto them easier.
Photo credit: Facebook / The Crayon Initiative
When they are ready they are boxed and delivered to children’s hospitals throughout California.”If these crayons give them an escape from that hospital room for ten minutes, we did our job,” says Bryan.
Photo credit: Facebook / The Crayon Initiative
Since starting, they’ve delivered over 2000 boxes.
Photo credit: Facebook / The Crayon Initiative
Over the past month, Bryan says he is “sincerely blown away” by the positive response his project has received on social media. “I am humbled by your interest in our cause. Thank you for helping my small idea grow into a worldwide movement. I look forward to a future of unlimited possibilities and making a difference together.”
Photo credit: Facebook / The Crayon Initiative
To find out more about the Crayon Initiative’s mission, visit their website. And share their project with your friends. There’s always a possibility you could get something similar started in your community!
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