The Wilkes University Education Club does more than shape the minds of students– they build spirits to those in need, too.

Teaming up with residents in Doane Hall to create care packages known as the “Jared Box Project”, the organization delivered 75 boxes to children at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to lift their spirits as they stay in the treatment facility. The club members made the final delivery on December 3.

Club vice president Karissa Hensel, senior early childhood and elementary education major explained that the program was another way the group could give back.

“The Jared Box Project means a lot to me, not only do we get to help children in need, but we get to brighten their spirits in such a dark time which makes it all worth the while,” Hensel said.

In order to complete the donation, the club completed a baseball t-shirt sale to raise money as their primary source of fundraising. The group also held bake sales to help offset the cost.

According to the Jared Box Project website, the care packages, known as The Jared Box, are plastic storage bins filled with small toys and games for a specific age and sex.

For another club member and education club treasurer, junior English and secondary education major Jen Baron, CHOP has held a special place in her heart after her brother had two battles with lymphoma.

“Donating the Jared Boxes to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia really meant so much to me personally. Not many people know this, but my younger brother had cancer twice (lymphoma) and he went to CHOP to get his treatments,” Baron said.

“I remember what all of us would try to do to make his day better. When the education club introduced me to the Jared Box Project it made me so happy to know that we could do one small thing that would really brighten a child’s day. When we arrived at the hospital to drop off the boxes, the woman there told us that they would all be going to the cancer unit of the hospital. Hearing this made me feel like I was giving a small token of appreciation to the place that gave my family and my brother so much.

The Jared Box project was started in 2001 by the children at Our Lady of Victory School in State College, Pa and since it’s conception has delivered more than 200,000 boxes across the Unites States.