Be Good. Do Good. {4 LEGO® Inspired Charitable Organizations}

BrickSmarts is getting ready to launch it's community outreach program called BrickHearts.  We have contacted various non profit organizations in the Tampa Bay area, and are currently working to put together after school Lego® Clubs serving kids in need.  This has been my favorite and most exciting part of growing our BrickSmarts brand!  On the surface Lego bricks are fun toys that provide hours of entertainment for builders young and old.  But the reality of it is, Legos are educational, and help to build skills that growing kids need.  My kids have been blessed to have access to these amazing little building blocks since a young age, but unfortunately due to cost, or accessibility many kids do not.  Here are a list of 4 non-profit organizations currently working to share the wonder and magic of Legos with all kids!  I can only hope that BrickHearts is able to replicate the great work that these organizations are doing.

1.  The Giving Brick based in Kansas City Missouri.  Working hard since December 2014, The Giving Brick founded by Matthew Gould, has given away thousands of bricks for kids in foster care.
The Giving Brick shared this beautiful statement in a feature with BrickSet.com in 2015, stating

“We wanted to give our LEGO sets to kids who had little else to call their own and needed an escape from the challenges life was throwing at them."-Matthew Gould
 

The Giving Brick accepts donations of Legos in any condition.  They also take direct donations for their worthy cause.  Check them out at the link below.
http://thegivingbrick.org/index.html






2. Creations for Charity , founded by Nannan Zhang in 2010, is a nonprofit organization that hosts a fundraising event from October to November each year.  Builders from all over the world donate custom made Lego creations to sell and raise money to buy Lego sets for underprivileged children during the holidays.  In 2016, Creations for Charity was able to sell over 100 customized builds, in turn raising almost $14,000!  This money was used to purchase an incredible amount of Lego sets for underprivileged children.  Check out their inspiring work here: http://creationsforcharity.org  And if you are a Lego Artist maybe consider donating your creation for this year's fundraising event!

3. BrickDreams, is an organization based in Folsom, CA.  It's founder Bailey Snow, is an inspiring teenager who recently handed the reins of his charity to 12 year old brothers Lleyton and Kyle Rutz.  These boys are keeping the vision of the organization alive by packaging up donated Legos in tennis ball containers.  The Legos are then donated to kids in need, primarily kids affected by domestic violence.  Well done boys!  You are an inspiration to us all!  Stay up to date on all of their accomplishments here:
http://www.brickdreams.org

4. Brick Recycler, another California based organization take used Lego bricks and donates them around the world.  Here are just a few of their generous donations:

• Help One Child and Compassion (for foster children)
• Orphanages in Mexico and Honduras
• Hands of Hope (for Zimbabwe orphanage)
• Children of Haiti

Read more and donate by following this link: http://www.brickrecycler.com

We are moving closer to launch of our own community outreach program BrickHearts.  You can stay up to date with our progress on the BrickSmarts website.  If live in the Tampa Bay area and would like to volunteer with us, or have an idea for a BrickHearts project, send an email to info@BrickSmarts.com!  We would love to hear from you.  Let's share the gift of Legos with children everywhere...Be Good, Do Good!