During Catholic Schools Week 2024, the students and staff at Elk County Catholic High School and St. Marys Catholic Middle School created Jared Boxes for hospitalized children in our community. Each grade was assigned an age group to purchase items for the Jared Boxes, ranging from infants through teenagers. Students and staff then gathered in the cafeteria to decorate and assemble the boxes for young patients. Once complete the Jared Boxes were donated to Penn Highlands Healthcare.
A Jared Box is a plastic shoe-sized storage box filled with small gifts, toys, games, crayons, coloring books, and fun activities. Each box contains items selected for a specific age and gender. The boxes are given to children in the hospital to provide a special, fun diversion.
The Jared Box Project was started in 2001 by the children of Our Lady of Victory School in State College, Pennsylvania, to honor their classmate and friend, Jared. He was a brave little boy who battled cancer with courage and faith that continues to inspire us all.
Since then, more than 1,000,000 Jared Boxes have been delivered to over 500 hospitals across the United States. Boxes filled with the “gift of play” are given to young patients in emergency rooms, hospital rooms, surgical centers, and clinics. Each box contains small gifts, toys, games, crayons, coloring books, and fun activities.
