NTM staff continued the tradition of giving back to the community by participating in The Jared Box Project. The Project is a nonprofit organization started in 2001 in State College, PA to honor Jared McMullen, a brave 5-year old boy who fought brain cancer and carried a backpack filled with toys to all his appointments. He spread joy to other sick children by sharing his toys and games. Although Jared’s battle ended in 2000, his inspiration lives on through the kindness of others as they make Jared Boxes in his honor. The mission is to lift the spirits of all children being treated in hospitals across America by providing them with a plastic shoe box filled with small gifts, games, toys, activities, and handwritten notes.
The NTM Dillsburg office delivered 40 boxes to PSU Hershey Children’s Hospital, the State College office delivered 15 boxes to Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville, the Philadelphia office delivered 6 boxes to the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, and boxes were also donated to the Huntsville Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Alabama. A monetary donation was also made to the organization.
“NTM Engineering believes that community involvement is very important, and we make it part of our mission to give back to local organizations. NTM employees were excited to create the Jared Boxes and included their families and children in the process. We cannot begin to understand the worry and pain that some of these children have to go through, but we hope that this project will bring a smile or small reprieve to their day,” said NTM President Donna Newell, MS, PE, CFM.
Heather Sweitzer, NTM Marketing Manager, added, “This was such a fun project to be part of, with an even better mission. If you don’t know about The Jared Box Project, please look it up. You cannot help but be moved to want to do anything to help!”
Cindy Kolarik, Executive Director of The Jared Box Project said, “We are so very thankful for the generous and heartfelt support of NTM Engineering. It says a lot about the values of this organization and the kindness of the employees that all offices were all on board to make Jared Boxes. Without a doubt, the children that receive these fun-filled Jared Boxes will be overjoyed.”
