Epic Crayon Drive on National Crayon Day Draws Support From Students Across the Country

Los Angeles, CA, March 30, 2016 (Newswire.com) - ​​The Crayon Collection is asking teachers, students and parents across the country to participate in the largest national crayon drive and bake sale in history on National Crayon Day, March 31st. Whether collecting crayons or baking, the ingredients are straight forward. The nonprofit says their recipe for success mixes mindfulness and care.  By redistributing discarded crayons to children in under-served schools, participants are also eliminating tons of waste destined for landfills.

Proceeds will support the Crayon Collection's distribution of crayons to more than 1000 Title 1 Schools and Head Start Centers across the country. This relieves the burden placed on many teachers to purchase crayons out-of-pocket, most spending approximately $750 a year on basic classroom supplies.  "No child should have to attend school without the most basic of supplies," said Sheila Morovati, President and Founder of the Crayon Collection. "We really need the help of other conscious families to support our outreach to those in need while helping the environment." The drive in Los Angeles will be co-hosted by MomAngeles and LA Mom Magazine at Brentwood Gardens. It will involve interactive coloring activities with well known artists and relatable lessons about recycling, after school March 31st, to encourage family participation. "I'm thrilled to share the joys of creativity with local kids on National Crayon Day," said Ben Marazzi, the artist of Coloring Book of Affirmations @heygreatjob. "This creative crayon drive is a fantastic teachable moment too, as being mindful of our environment is crucial to their future."

No child should have to attend school without the most basic of supplies. We really need the help of other conscious families to support our outreach to those in need while helping the environment."

Sheila Morovati, President and Founder of the Crayon Collection

Participants have grown the collection by sharing their successes on social media. Students and teachers at Robertson School in Central Falls, Rhode Island used Facebook to send a big thank you to the area school in East Greenwhich that took up the collection.  Teacher Carrie LaCorte-Rinaldi in Edison, NJ tweeted her appreciation for this "#amazingcompany #makingkidssmile" saying her first graders were ecstatic to receive their new crayons. "It's the little things that make the difference and create the most teachable moments for our kids," said LaCorte-Rinaldi.

Restaurants also play a key role in helping grow the Crayon Collection. Denny's Restaurants just partnered with the nonprofit and is now donating the gently used crayons diners leave behind.

The National Head Start Association's Executive Director Yasmina Vinci says receiving all those quality crayons donated from restaurants and participants is helping them help children succeed.  "Restaurants throw away millions of crayons each year and together we can keep them out of landfills and put them in the hands of children in need," said Vinci. 

" Each year billions of crayons are produced leaving behind mountains of paraffin wax waste, which takes decades to decompose," said Crayon Collection's Sheila Morovati. "We've found a much better place for them and we look forward to our biggest collection yet on National Crayon Day!"

How to get involved: 

1. Start a Crayon Collection: Download and print this sign, and paste it on a bin and start collecting.

2. Spread the word:  Tell your friends and local restaurants to donate their unwanted crayons March 31st.

3. Host a bake sale: Make a crayon collection poster to display at your bake sale where you can sell baked goods and collect crayons to donate to Crayon Collection.

4. Donate to your community: Take your collected crayons to a school in need near you.   Click here to use our school finder. 

5. Fundraise online: Start your own fundraising page by clicking through onClassy.org's Crayon Collection fundraising site.

MEDIA: Please contact Stephanie Abrams at [email protected] /323-999-4489 or  [email protected]/310-435-8497