Photo: kozzi2/Depositphotos
LEGO bricks are one of the most beloved toys by kids around the world. Known for their simple design, these tiny plastic bricks can foster infinite creative possibilities. Unfortunately, because of their price tag, they can be just out of reach for kids in underserved communities. Aware of how these toys can inspire and inform children in the long run, a teenager named Charlie Jeffers created Pass the Bricks, a project that collects, cleans, and packaged new building sets with the repurposed blocks, which are then donated to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have access to them.
“I believe that every kid deserves access to play and learning tools, and no one does that better than LEGO,” Jeffers states. To achieve this, he gathers LEGO bricks from around his community in Northern California. He then washes, sanitizes, sorts, and reassembles them into “new” sets, which are then redistributed by organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs, the Bay Area Crisis Nursery, and Refugee and Immigrant Transitions. His efforts have even had international reach, with some of his sets being distributed in Ecuador with the help of a neighbor.
Jeffers’ endeavor also presents a sustainable practice. LEGO bricks are made of sturdy plastic, which means they are high quality and durable; however, many blocks and sets end up in landfills once their owner disposes of them. By turning the collected pieces into new sets, he gives them a second life, reducing the amount of plastic waste in his community.
This is all with the priceless help of 22 volunteer builders, who put their creativity to work to come up with fun and appealing designs, such as Spider-Man catching a bad guy or Chewbacca on a waterskiing adventure. Aware that every kid has different needs and abilities, the team has created compelling sets with as little as 14 blocks, and complex models such as a 196-piece orange motorcycle. Jeffers then photographs and packs each set in a white box, which is decorated by an image of the assembled set. As a result, kids get the experience of opening a brand new toy.
So far, Pass the Bricks has collected over 900 pounds of LEGO bricks and turned them into over 3,000 sets that have been donated. The teams goal is to launch Pass the Bricks program in 10 cities, while continuing to collect bricks and deliver LEGO sets to kids.
To learn more about this project and get involved, visit Pass the Bricks‘ website.
A teen named Charlie Jeffers created Pass the Bricks, a project that collects, cleans, and packaged new LEGO sets with donated blocks, which are then handed out to kids in underserved communities.
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This is all with the priceless help of 22 volunteer builders, who put their creativity to work to come up with fun and appealing designs with the repurposed blocks.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Jeffers then photographs and packs each set in a white box, which is decorated with an image of the assembled set. This allows kids to get the experience of opening a brand new toy.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Pass the Bricks: Website | Instagram
h/t: [Good News Network]
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