It’s the most wonderful time of the year….the holiday season! I was so honored to be invited to join in on Hasbro’s 2016 “Joy Maker Challenge”! There’s nothing that warms my heart more than being able to give back to those in need to help spread JOY!Hasbro and generationOn, the youth division of Point of Light, have partnered for the seventh annual Joy Maker Challenge. The campaign encourages youth,ages 5-18,  to spread joy to people in need during the holidays through volunteer service. For every kid and teen who volunteers throughout The Joy Maker Challenge, Hasbro will donate a toy or game to Toys for Tots (up to $1 million worth)! That’s amazing!Since the campaign’s inaugural year in 2010, more than 960,000 total acts of service have been completed, with 6 million dollars’ worth of toys donated to Toys for Tots by Hasbro
Since the campaign’s inaugural year in 2010, more than 960,000 total acts of service have been completed, with 6 million dollars’ worth of toys donated to Toys for Tots by Hasbro
Inspiring service projects completed by kids and teens over the years include:

• San Clemente resident, Max Page, turned his garage into ‘The Giving Garage,’ inviting local families to pick up Hasbro toys to give to those in need during the holidays
• Members of the Alchemy generationOn Service Club in New York City made ‘caring cards’ to send to those affected by last year’s events in Paris, France
• 33 youth came together in Corvallis, OR to do a variety of service projects, including raking leaves in the yards of senior citizens and people with disabilities

Won’t you join in too?
I’d like to encourage you to join the Joy Maker Challenge! From November 21 – December 23, teens, teachers, youth development professionals and families can sign up, search for local volunteer projects or share their stories for The Joy Maker Challenge through the campaign website (generationOn.org/joymaker)
The Joy Maker Challenge is part of Be Fearless, Be Kind Campaign, Hasbro’s new signature philanthropic initiative designed to inspire and empower kids to have the empathy, compassion and courage to stand up for others and be inclusive throughout their lives. Hasbro, which has a long and proud tradition of empowering children through its many philanthropic programs.I was so excited when I received a giant box of toys from Hasbro on my doorstep! There were so many great toys inside the box and my daughter loved getting to open it and peek inside. I explained that the toys were going to be donated to families in need and she then helped me pick out the organization we’d be donating them to. We decided to take them The Orange County Ronald McDonald House.I’ve toured the facility before and was really touched to learn about all they do on a year-round basis for families who have a loved one (a child) in the hospital nearby. It is an amazing organization and I was honored to be chosen by Hasbro, to “give back” in their name.The box was so giant that it barely fit in the back of my car. Ronald McDonald was there to greet me on the front doorstep when I dropped off the toys. I was happy to learn that my donation was just in time for their annual holiday party, which welcomes over 375 guests, who are either current residents at Ronald McDonald House Orange County or have stayed there within the past year.I think it’s so important to encourage kids and teens to become “changemakers” in their communities and the world, through service. It really teaches them about being selfless. How do you teach your kids about giving back to those in need? Don’t forget to visit the campaign website before December 23 and sign up to be a “Joy Maker” too for Hasbro’s 2016 Joy Maker Challenge! Hasbro has so graciously offered to send one of my readers 2 boxes of 20 toys each, 1 box of toys to keep and 1 to donate. You can be a Joy Maker too! Enter on the Rafflecopter below! Good luck and Happy Holidays!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join the conversation surrounding The Joy Maker Challenge on social media by following the hashtags #JoyMaker and #BFBK.