The Crayon Initiative is a powerful movement with a simple mission. If you're not yet sold on the idea, here are 15 things you should know about what we do and the difference your involvement can make.

1. Half a million pounds of crayons end up in landfills annually.

Every year, people toss about 60,000 crayons into the garbage. That equates to around half a million pounds of waste ending up in landfills. 

2. You can recycle even the smallest crayon.

Ever use a crayon down to just a nub? Since they're made entirely of wax, even the tiniest crayon can be melted down and turned into something new.

3. It doesn't take much to make an impact.

Filling up a single large box from The Crayon Initiative will provide enough materials to produce an eight-pack of crayons for over 125 pediatric patients.

4. The results are exponential.

Those with the capacity to collect a ton of crayons can supply crayon packs to over 1,000 patients. That's about 10 boxes of crayon donations, and many businesses have far exceeded that goal.

5. Monetary donations can make a big difference.

If you don't have crayons to give, donating just $25 will deliver smiles and crayons to over 200 patients at children's hospitals across the nation.

6. Every donated crayon goes to a child in need.

The Crayon Initiative never sells crayons as part of its fundraising efforts. That means you can be confident that every single crayon collected will go to a child in need.

7. We sterilize all crayon packs to ensure safety.

Worried about hygiene? We sterilize every donated crayon and most are used as raw materials since they're already used, meaning they're melted down and reformed to create a brand new crayon pack.

8. Any CHA member hospital can request donations.

For those concerned about where their donation goes, rest assured it's doing a great deal of good. In fact, any hospital that's part of the Children's Hospital Association (CHA) can make a donation request — including one in your community.

9. You don't have to do any legwork.

If you're worried about the complexities of sorting crayon colors or removing labels, don't be. While you can do this if you want, The Crayon Initiative is prepared to do all of that work on your behalf. All you need to do is put them in a box and ship them to us. 

10. We provide the boxes.

We make collecting crayons as easy as possible — we even provide the boxes! While we accept crayons in any container you want to use, our boxes make starting a drive even simpler.

11. The only cost is shipping.

When it comes to a donation drive that's truly low-cost, not much has The Crayon Initiative beat. After all, most people are recycling used crayons that they would have thrown away. The only thing anyone pays is the cost of shipping the box to our facilities.

12. Family restaurants can make a huge impact.

Restaurants that give crayons to young guests can make a huge impact by being a direct source of slightly used crayons.

13. Any company can make a difference.

Even if you don't use crayons in your business, setting up a crayon donation center and spreading awareness can help you do your part as a corporate donor.

14. Sponsorship opportunities abound.

For businesses that wish to support The Crayon Initiative, there are countless benefits — from branded collection post signage to a fully branded feature on our website, and more.

15. Doing your part always makes you feel good.

Last, but most certainly not least, if you're looking for a reason to support The Crayon Initiative, just consider how many children will smile as a result of your contribution.