The Joy Maker Challenge Inspires Kids to Give Back for the Holidays

The holidays are a great time to get kids and teens involved in spreading joy and giving back! Finding a cause they’re passionate about and doing a service project to contribute to that cause helps them develop compassion for others, be kind and support their community.

That’s why generationOn, the youth service division of Points of Light, and Hasbro have partnered for the seventh annual Joy Maker Challenge. The campaign encourages youth to engage in meaningful, hands-on service projects, and spread joy and kindness through volunteerism during the holiday season. For every kid or teen who engages in service, Hasbro will donate a toy or game to Toys for Tots, up to $1 million worth.

generationOn has also selected 100 Kindness Ambassadors spread throughout the country, who will each be equipped with 100 Hasbro toys and games to bring holiday joy to children in need through a range of projects, including:

• Violet Humble of Spokane Valley, Washington, is hosting a party for children from local transition homes, foster homes and shelters who often are not included and don’t get to attend parties. In addition to getting to spend time together and play games and enjoy food, she’ll be surprising them with gifts for attending, as well as goodie bags.
• Xolo Maridueña will host a service project with kids on Skid Row in Los Angeles. Children will come to a fun holiday event where they will write letters to seniors in local senior centers. After completing the project, the kids will be able to pick out a wrapped toy to go home with.
• Renee Lynn Scott of Eastport, New York, will work with youth volunteers to make special cards for children of cancer patients. They will then work with Survivor’s Little Helper to deliver Christmas trees, toys and cards to families to help alleviate the emotional and financial burden holidays can have when parents are battling cancer.

There are so many ways for kids to show they care! From Nov. 21 through Dec. 23, teens, teachers, parents and youth development professionals can register, find service project ideas, and share their stories of service on The Joy Maker Challenge website. The challenge is a part of Hasbro’s ongoing Be Fearless Be Kind initiative, which inspires and empowers kids to have the compassion, empathy and courage to stand up for others and be inclusive throughout their lives.