Brick Giving the Season: Charity Within the LEGO Community
Happy Brick Giving Season, BrickNerds! This time of year we choose to look to help others where we can. We think of friends, family, local charities, national charities and international charities and donating our time, skills or assistance to help others. Our LEGO community is no exception; our love of the brick, our passion for building, and our passion for giving can go much further.
So today I wanted to compile a brief round up of the LEGO-related charities you can consider supporting. I'm sure I’ve missed some, so please add any others in the comments so we can have all the good causes included.
Internationally, the LEGO Foundation works hard to improve the lives of children through education and play, partnering with many groups as a way to encourage building and play. The LEGO Foundation and UNICEF have partnered since 2015, focusing on child wellbeing and empowering children to become creative, lifelong learners through play.
Creations for Charity has been doing great work since 2009. This is a great all-volunteer organization where builders from all over the world donate custom LEGO creations that are sold from October 15th to November 30th. The proceeds are used to buy new LEGO sets for underprivileged children around the world during the holidays.
FairyBricks in the UK has been providing LEGO sets to children’s hospices and hospitals “brightening the lives of sick children in hospitals” for years. They have started to expand internationally to 26 other countries and can always be counted on to provide a smile to kids in need.
Located in the United States and inspired by the spirit of FairyBricks, Little Bricks Charity has the same passion and drive to provide LEGO sets to children in hospitals. The organizer, Russell Cassevah (@LittleBricksCharityGuy), broke the Guinness World Record for walking on LEGO in barefeet in 2018 with a record of almost a half mile to help raise funds for the cause.
Child’s Play was created in 2003 when gamers in the Seattle Washington area wanted to help change the negative perception of gaming and gamers in the media. In response, they challenged their fans to support Seattle Children’s Hospital through an Amazon Wishlist. In less than one month, they raised over $250,000 in cash and toys. Since then, Child’s Play has expanded to 190+ network hospitals across the globe, and contributions reach far beyond just games and technology.
Now a bit more personally, there are so many local LUGs that help around their own communities.
Having several of our LUGVegas members in the medical field to inspire us, Chris S. has been collecting sets from our LUG members and friends locally to gift to our UMC's Children's Hospital in Las Vegas.
Mid-year, LUGVegas was asked to participate in an auction for Down Syndrome Organization of Southern Nevada who asked us to make a LEGO tree for their auction. Taking that guidance, our LUG created ornaments for the tree, ribbon, and a few members gifted sets for under the tree. This Festival of Trees and Lights theme was “A SEASON OF LOVE” to raise the annual funds to help their group.
Sharing is such a big part of the LEGO community. From bricks to instructions to sets, people are so generous.
These organizations are a very small selection of groups that have helped. So to help others - ‘Tis the season for giving! What is your local or national Brick Giving charity you or your group supports? Please add them to the comments and please remember this is the season for Brick Giving.
Are you participating in any of these charities? Or one not mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below.
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