Charlie Jeffers, a senior at Redwood High School in Marin County, California, has turned his lifelong passion for LEGO into a transformative initiative known as Pass the Bricks.
Having experienced the educational benefits of playing with LEGO since his early childhood, Jeffers recognized that not all children have access to these valuable play tools, impacting their emotional and cognitive development. Moreover, he identified a sustainable solution to repurpose used LEGO bricks, preventing them from ending up in landfills.
Launched in 2020, Pass the Bricks aims to address both the lack of access to LEGO for economically disadvantaged children and the environmental impact of discarded LEGO bricks. Jeffers, along with his volunteer-based team, engages in the repurposing of used LEGO bricks to create new, original sets for kids in marginalized communities.
The program follows a four-step open model template: collecting used LEGO bricks, sanitizing and sorting them, crafting new sets with the repurposed bricks, and finally, delivering these sets to kids in need. The initiative collaborates with various nonprofit organizations to distribute sets directly or through partnerships.
Notably, Pass the Bricks has established a fruitful relationship with multiple chapters of the Boys and Girls Club of America, providing a specific number of sets monthly to be included in the nonprofit’s larger deliveries to underserved kids and families.
Pass the Bricks has already made a significant impact, delivering over 3,055 sets to kids in need. The initiative’s value lies not only in providing access to LEGO for children who otherwise wouldn’t have it but also in promoting environmental sustainability by giving a second life to used LEGO bricks.
Paola, a neighbor of Jeffers who contributed to the project, said, “We sent our Lego bricks to Ecuador with my son’s middle school some years back. I love to think of kids there playing with them.”
Jeffers and his team have introduced innovative sets, such as “Superman Would Like Just One Day off,” featuring a grumpy Clark Kent in bed with his suit hanging in the closet, and the faithful representation of the “Droid Escape Pod” from the first Star Wars film. With a dedicated group of over 20 volunteers, Pass the Bricks has expanded its reach to communities in San Francisco, Marin County, Portland, Austin, DC, Richmond, and Los Angeles.
The program’s success has prompted Jeffers to look toward scaling the initiative further, aiming for widespread behavior change and envisioning a world where every LEGO brick finds a second life.
Jeffers has developed an easy-to-use program template with clear instructions, encouraging individuals to facilitate the program from their homes. His ultimate goal is to maximize the positive impact of Pass the Bricks, ensuring that as many children as possible have access to the educational benefits of LEGO while contributing to a more sustainable and responsible approach to toy consumption.
For those looking to contribute, Pass the Bricks encourages individuals to donate their old LEGO bricks by reaching out to Charlie through the initiative’s website.
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