Reported by Andrew Zhou
In the AYLUS WeChat group, we saw that the Frisco & Plano branch hosted the Crayon Drive. We, at the San Diego branch, thought it was a wonderful and meaningful idea, and we also want to expand this activity to our branch. We discovered that we can use The Crayon Initiative organization, which works with Staples, making it an easy way to donate. The Crayon Initiative sorts, melts, and remolds old crayons into new ones, which are then delivered to children in hospitals nationwide. This cycle not only gives crayons a second life but also brings joy and creative therapy to young patients.
The Journey of a Crayon has a significant environmental impact. The Crayon Initiative has diverted hundreds of thousands of pounds of crayons from landfills. Additionally, the wrappers from these crayons are converted into eco-friendly fire logs, further reducing waste. Beyond the environmental benefits, there is also a therapeutic impact. The Crayon Initiative delivers more than just art supplies; they provide tools for healing. Child Life Specialists in over 265 hospitals use these crayons to help children cope with stress, express their emotions, and find moments of joy during challenging times.
On July 31, 2024, we, the San Diego Branch, collected a total of 23lbs of used crayons and donated it to Staples for recycling.
The following 20 AYLUS members participated in this event, 1.5 volunteer hours for each:
Andrew Zhou, Bruce Xiao, Lauren Kan, Philip Zhang, Richard Chen, Jessica (Jialin) Jiang, Jessica Chen, Sarah Chen, Derek Chen, Daniel Wang, Ganning Ye, Eric Liang, Ayden Liang, Yifan Ren, Andrew Chen, Emily Chen, Gavin Zheng, Serena Liu, Andy Zhong, and Brianna Zhang
