A message of gratitude from the McGrath Family

It’s that time of year again, where we mark another year since Colin’s death and try to focus on gratitude to ease the pain. Each year has felt different. This year has been filled with so many memories. In some ways it’s incredibly hard - like getting hit with a huge wave you didn’t see coming that knocks you down and takes your breath away. In other ways we welcome it, like we’d do anything to hold onto those days just a little bit longer. There is one constant we appreciate as we navigate these waves - we know Colin lived every day to the fullest, reminding us of our quest with Colin’s Joy Project, to live each day with pure joy in our hearts. 

Colin’s Joy Project continues to help us feel light in the darkness. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who continues to join us in building and maintaining Colin’s legacy through play spaces and family focused programming with our community partners. We’re proud to share that we donated more than ever this past year to our community partners and their impact has been remarkable. We saw the opening of our biggest play space project yet at Marine Park. We are excited for a grand opening this Fall when the finishing touches are completed, including a memorial boulder for Colin (which he would have loved jumping off). Additionally, the beloved and restored Marine Park turtle sculpture returns! We know how important this sculpture has been to generations of Southie families, so we jumped at the opportunity to fund its repair.

We couldn’t do all of this without the support of our community near and far, the commitment by our marathon teams each year, all who show up for our 5K and other fundraisers, the businesses and organizations who support us, the many volunteers who contribute their time to us, the elected officials who’ve helped us accomplish our projects in our community, and the many people who go out of their way to be a part of Colin’s Joy Project. You keep us going and we appreciate that more than you could ever know.

We look forward to continuing to support our community partners this year, to more projects and events, and to continuing to spread JOY in Colin’s name.

With gratitude,

Brendan, Kerri, Sloane and Miles

Life After Loss- How to Welcome a New Family Member While Continuing to Navigate the Grief Process

Colin’s Joy Project and the McGrath family is proud to announce the birth of

Miles Robinson McGrath

May 23, 2023

7lbs 7oz

20” long

The McGrath family is thrilled to welcome Miles to their family; his parents say that he is the happiest baby- he’s always smiling and laughing. It’s almost as if he was sent specifically to their family to make them happy. He’s been loved since the second he came into the world, something that his mom, Kerri, says she was a little worried about.

Kerri expressed how challenging it was for them to be so happy while also sharing space with their grief over the loss of Colin. There was a great deal of anxiety about what it would be like to try to incorporate their new family with their original family. Unfortunately, there’s no blueprint on how to navigate bringing a new baby into a family after losing a child. Would they be able to love Miles as much as he needs, even while they’re still so sad over losing Colin? Do you have a baby shower, or dress your baby in hand-me-downs from the child who died? What do you do with the family pictures that are already hanging on your wall? Or as the background on your phone? 

The McGraths had a certain idea of what their family unit looked like, and now it was about to change. How can you navigate that and get excited about the pregnancy and newborn photographs without feeling like you’re turning your back on the child you have lost? They wanted to make sure that Miles still got all the typical baby milestones, such as newborn photographs, without feeling like they were turning their back on Colin. This is incredibly challenging, and Kerri stated that when she researched how to incorporate a child you have lost into something like newborn photographs, there wasn’t a lot of information available. She decided to contact her good friend and photographer, Danielle McLaughlin to see if they could put their heads together and come up with some new ideas that might also help other families who have lost children in the past.

Danielle is the founder of Capturing Simple Moments Photography. She does everything from family photographs to maternity and even some weddings, but her favorite style of photography is lifestyle; she loves taking photos of families with young children! This is partly because, in addition to being a photographer, she’s also a mom to a 4 and 6-year-old. Danielle is busy, to say the least! Her background, and her longstanding friendship with Kerri, made her the perfect person to tackle something like newborn photographs, so it’s no wonder that she was able to collaborate with Kerri to come up with some great ideas for her photoshoot with Miles.

Danielle believes that the most important part of photography is incorporating the emotions and the moments that her clients are looking for. Instead of being rigid about backgrounds and poses, she thinks that families should focus on just being together during a photoshoot. She said that it’s “the simplest moments in life are the things that we should capture.” This is why she doesn’t own a studio- she believes that a family’s story will unfold in the places that are important to them. And that’s her main goal: to tell a story in photos. When she worked with the McGrath family, their story was a little bit trickier to uncover. Their main concern was, how they could incorporate Colin into their photoshoot, while also making it all about Miles?

They decided the best approach would be to incorporate things and places that remind them of Colin but to include a new twist on them to honor Miles. There were some pictures that Kerri and Brendan really wanted to recreate, such as photos that Kerri had taken with Sloane and Colin during their shoots. Danielle had also done both of their newborn photos, and they decided to incorporate some of the same props they had used with them for Miles, but they positioned him into different poses to put a unique spin on the photos. They also gathered items that reminded them of Colin, such as a specific stuffie, the bowtie Colin wore for his first birthday, and even the crocs that he was wearing on the day of the accident. Big sister Sloane picked a lot of the props they used by choosing items that also had meaning to her, and she even came up with her own ideas for different poses.

They went back and forth on what locations to use; they considered using Colin’s Courtyard for some of the photos but decided against it because they didn’t want everything about Miles’ life to be tied to Colin’s death, even though it would connect them both. They decided to do some pictures at home and some at the waterfront, which was completely different than anything they had done with Colin. The pictures turned out beautiful, and they knew they made the right choice.

One of the most important moments in the session was when they decided to incorporate an existing family photo they had hanging on their wall. Kerri knew she wanted to use it, but she didn’t want them to just hold the picture in the frame and look sad. Instead, she decided to have the family pose in front of the photo, which depicts Colin and Sloane smiling and laughing while sitting on their parents’ shoulders. They did some poses with silly faces and smiley faces, and it was the perfect way to capture Colin’s personality while also incorporating their family in the past and the present. 

Taking these photos was incredibly painful, but also so moving. After you lose a child, family photos are always so hard because it feels like somebody is missing. Taking these newborn photos with Miles allowed them to vocalize their emotions and let them be in that space where they're happy because they have a baby, but also sad because they’re missing one of their family members. They want people to understand that yes, they’ve moved forward in the search for more love in their life, but it doesn't mean they’ve moved on. There is no such thing. There’s no manual that tells you how to navigate such raw emotions.

There’s also not a well-woven path for families like theirs, so it can feel very isolating. People tend to default to routines, traditions, and habits that they've always done; forcing themselves to go through the motions even though it can be super painful. Kerri was lucky to have a friend to help, but for people in a similar position, she encourages them to be super honest with their photographer about what they want out of their session, as well as about their emotions surrounding the shoot. The more honest you are, the better the outcome will be because everyone will be on the same page regarding expectations.

At the end of the day, there’s no right or wrong answer- you just need to do what feels right for your family, Kerri hopes that this post will help other families dealing with loss know that they are not alone and that whatever decision(s) they make for their family when bringing a new little one into the world, will be the right ones.

Looking for more information on how to navigate grief and parenting? Check out the Unswaddled Podcast! Kerri was a guest on their recent episode of Unswaddled: Navigating Grief, Parenting, and Joy.

Colin's Joy Project Receives the Angel Award from Julie's Family Learning Center

Kerri, Brendan, and Sloane McGrath receiving the Angel Award.

Colin’s Joy Project is proud to share that we were the recipients of this year’s Angel Award, courtesy of one of our community partners, Julie’s Family Learning Center.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrea McKunes, childcare director at Julie’s. She informed me that every December they honor someone who has been extra supportive of their programs. For the year 2022, that was Colin’s Joy Project and the McGrath family.

The McGrath’s go above and beyond every year to make sure Julie’s receives the attention and the funding they need in order to continue their incredible work in the community. 

A little background on Julie’s Family Learning Center

Julie’s primarily serves low-income mothers and their children, although they also provide basic education programs for everyone- men, women, and children. They offer both Zoom and in-person classes that cater to all levels of learning. Many people come to them with the goal of obtaining their GED, but they also offer life-skills classes about parenting, money management, and more. In addition, they have a workforce development sector that focuses on finding students’ jobs or helping them to apply for college classes after they get their GED. 

Julie’s supports their students in all aspects of life, not just in education. They have a family advocate on site who assists with housing and SNAP benefits, and they have an entire room dedicated to donations such as diapers, clothing, and formula. They provide a weekly bus pass for their students, and they even have an on-site chef who prepares healthy meals daily.

All of this is provided free of charge, and they never turn anyone away. That’s one of the reasons organizations like Colin’s Joy Project are so essential to their continuing success. The goal of Julie’s is to build stronger families in the South Boston community, and Colin’s Joy Project is so happy to assist them in their mission.

The Angel Award

Colin’s Joy Project has been a proud sponsor of Julie’s Family Learning center since 2018, but this is the first year they’ve been honored with the Angel Award. Andrea informed me that the McGrath family has always gone above and beyond to help Julie’s, but this year their contributions were overwhelming.

One way they do this is by sponsoring a family every year for Christmas, and they encourage all of their own relatives to bring gifts for this family instead of for themselves.

They do an incredible job getting the word out about Julie’s; although it’s been around for more than 50 years, Colin’s Joy Project and the McGrath family have worked hard to spread the word about their services in order to help them connect with many families throughout South Boston. They’ve raised a ton of awareness about the nonprofit, and they are always looking for ways to connect them to other similar organizations in the community, such as the MOMS club of South Boston.

The Library

Most recently, Kerri and Brendan have been working with Julie’s to revamp a space on their first floor that was formally called the “library”. The library has had a lot of wear and tear over the years, and when Kerri and Brendan toured the facility, the team at Julie’s shared that it wasn’t even in use anymore. They all agreed that this would be a great room to revamp in Colin’s name to support Julie’s members.  

Kerri and Brendan have been working with the members at Julie’s to come up with a design for a space that would be dedicated to families. Currently, there is nowhere in the building where moms can just be with their kids- ironically, for an organization dedicated to helping families, they didn’t have a space that was designated specifically for families to be together. The McGrath’s decided that needed to change. They brought in formal design architects from Dyer Brown, Maggie Mitchell and Katie Moulder, who have graciously agreed to take on this project pro-bono. 

Thanks to a generous donation from Colin’s Joy Project, the space will be completely redone in bright colors and patterns that are inviting and engaging. It will be filled with books so that it is truly a library. They hope to use it as a space where moms can read to their kids, and where they can occasionally host guest readers. Oftentimes moms come in with their children prior to the start of classes, and they need somewhere to hang out. Thanks to the McGrath family, they’ll be able to hang out in the library where they can work on bonding with their children while simultaneously promoting their literacy skills. 

We encourage you to learn more about how you can support Julie’s Family Learning Center, as well as all of our other community partners!

Click here to find out more information about our ongoing projects in the South Boston community.

Colin's Store and the Significance of the Hand Print and the Color Green- Read to learn how you can spread joy and help others by making a purchase!

If you live in Southie, or even if you don’t, chances are you’ve seen someone out in the world wearing Colin’s Joy Project merchandise. Colin’s Joy Project Online Shop is a relatively new addition to our website where patrons can come to purchase all kinds of apparel with the CJP logo on it- from clothes and accessories like shirts and hats to magnets, koozies, tumblers, and more, there’s something for everyone who wants to spread the word about Colin’s Joy Project.

But what does it mean to own an item that represents this brand? It’s about more than just wearing a green and orange shirt- it’s about connection, and family, and sharing joy within your community. 

After the accident that took Colin’s life, his mom, Kerri McGrath, was holding him in the ER when she was approached by 3 nurses. They offered to make a memory kit for Colin, which included clipping a lock of his hair and making clay molds of his hand and footprints. Kerri remembers sitting in the busy ER, on the worst day of her life, with total chaos going on around her while these nurses painstakingly devoted their time to make sure the molds of Colin’s prints turned out perfectly. The nurses used green ink to trace his tiny fingers and toes, and this is why the color green is such a huge part of the Colin’s Joy Project brand. They knew what this gift would mean for Kerri and the McGrath family, and while it would never replace their child, it would be something tangible they could touch and hold in the future whenever they wanted to feel close to Colin. 

What they didn’t know was that the handprint they worked so hard to replicate would turn into a brand that would help children and families thrive all over South Boston.

Lauren Farmer, a friend of the McGrath family and the founder of Sip Dine Design, worked with Kerri to come up with an idea for a logo that would represent Colin and feel personal. She took a scan of Colin’s handprint mold and digitally traced it to create the logo you see on Colin’s Joy Project merchandise today. She traced his handprint over and over, much like the nurses in the ER, to ensure it was as close to perfect as she could make it. She refers to the logo as “the worst and best project of her career,” and, as a mother to a young son, she understands that it’s a small gift to give a family going through an unimaginable tragedy. Thus, the handprint you see when you purchase CJP apparel and accessories is the exact size and shape of 3-year-old Colin’s hand on the last day of his life. And while he isn’t able to grow up, the love that has stemmed from his handprint and grown from this tragedy is immeasurable and never-ending.

The Colin’s Joy Project logo has an actual piece of Colin in it, which is exactly what his family wanted. When the logo is displayed at the parks and playgrounds and spaces sponsored by CJP all over South Boston, the children playing there have an opportunity to put their hands right up against his. His memory touches everyone, and it’s as though he’s playing right there beside the kids of Southie.

CJP merchandise connects people all over not just Boston, but the world. Kerri fondly recalls memories people have shared with her from times when they’ve connected with other families on vacation, all because someone has recognized the Colin’s Joy Project logo. We recommend you tag #TeamColin and #ColinsJoy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram whenever you’re out in the world representing Colin’s Joy Project with an item from the online store. Every cent made from sales from the online store goes to the CJP charitable fund and is used to enhance play spaces and family-funded programming throughout Boston.

The online store is truly a family affair- the models shown in the website photos are all of Colin’s cousins and family members, including his big sister, Sloane, and it’s Kerri’s mom (Colin’s grandmother), Marjy Palamara, who put the work in behind-the-scenes to get the store up and running. Marjy took all the photos herself, taught herself the business of online shipping, and packages and ships each individual order herself. 

There are 2 different logo options available, the original and the shamrock, as well as several different color schemes. You’ll find everything from child to adult-sized items, and there’s a $5 flat rate for shipping on every purchase.

As always, we encourage you to live each day with joy in your heart in memory of Colin, and displaying his handprint is just one way to do that. Making a purchase from the online store guarantees you’ll not only be supporting the CJP charity and all the good work they do for kids and families in South Boston, but you’ll be forging connections with people all over the world who want to support the McGrath family and keep Colin’s memory alive.

Help Celebrate Colin’s 7th Birthday with our Back-to-School Drive!

On Wednesday, August 31st, Colin McGrath would have turned 7 years old. This year, his family and friends decided to celebrate him with a quiet beach day. Colin loved the beach, so it's a fitting place to remember him while playing, laughing, spending quality time together, and spreading joy in his name.

The McGrath family and their friends also do a balloon release every year on Colin’s birthday. This year they’ll be using eco-friendly balloons that evaporate once they reach a specific altitude. Everyone will write messages on the balloons: notes to Colin, memories, words of affirmation, inspirational quotes, etc. The sky is filled with colors and positive thoughts- just one more way to ensure Colin is never forgotten, and that his memory is shared with joy.

The timing of Colin’s birthday always coincides with the start of school for the children of South Boston; Colin would have been starting second grade this year. One way you can remember him while also supporting Colin’s Joy Project and the community of South Boston is by participating in the Back-to-School drive.

The South Boston Neighborhood House (The Ollie) is collecting school supplies through September 2nd. The Ollie is an important part of the Southie community; they provide tools and services for people from birth to the elderly. Its mission is “to support family and neighborhood life in South Boston”, and so its goals and values align closely with those of Colin’s Joy Project.

Because The Ollie services a large number of school-aged children and their families, they work in partnership with Colin’s Joy Project to run a back-to-school drive every August. They are looking for supplies such as crayons, markers, pencils, paper, scissors, and glue, as well as NEW backpacks. Additionally, they’re accepting gift cards to places like Target and CVS, as well as Famous Footwear and Super Cuts. These supplies go directly to the families of South Boston, and they’re also utilized by the after-school and preschool programs funded by The Ollie. 

In addition to the school supply drive, The Ollie sponsors a Diaper Depot for families year-round. Families in need can sign up to receive a month’s worth of FREE diapers and wipes, both of which can be an overwhelming expense for low-income families. Colin’s Joy Project sponsors the Diaper Depot 2 months out of the year in order to ease the burden for families in South Boston. You can help by donating diapers and wipes in addition to school supplies during this week; that way, a family can come in to get ready for school and potentially leave with the baby supplies they need to help make their lives just a little bit easier. 

Donating is easy! Either drop of your donations directly at The Ollie or have them shipped from the retailer to:

The South Boston Neighborhood House

136 H. Street Boston, MA 02127

This drive has been a huge success in the past. Every kid deserves to start school off on a positive note; with a new haircut and shoes, and a backpack full of supplies, they’ll have the tools and the confidence they need for a successful school year.

Stay tuned for more on the exciting projects Colin’s Joy Project is working on throughout South Boston!

It's the Colin's Joy Project Giving Week for Boston Medical Center!

Every year on the anniversary of Colin’s death, Colin’s Joy Project sponsors a “Giving Week” for Boston Medical Center’s Child Life Group. This year, Giving Week will happen from July 20th to the 27th. BMC’s Child Life Group puts together an Amazon Wish List of items that they need in order to support children and families in the same way that they supported the McGrath family after the tragic accident that injured their daughter, Sloane, and that took Colin’s life on July 25th of 2018, just before his third birthday. Read on to learn more about BMC’s Child Life Group, the Giving Week, and how you can stay connected to the mission of Colin’s Joy Project: Live Each Day with Pure Joy in Your Heart.

Boston Medical Center

Boston Medical Center’s Child Life Group was instrumental in supporting the McGrath family in the wake of the accident, and they’ve continued to support countless children and families cope with some of the worst days of their lives.

They are a small team that accomplishes big things; they work hard to ensure that the children who are treated at BMC are more than just information on a chart - they’re kids. They work in a variety of hospital departments, from the ER and ambulatory care to radiology, inpatient care and the OR. No matter what department a child is in, or what stage they’re at in their care, a Child Life Specialist is there to help guide them through it. Click here to learn more about this special group of people.

The Child Life Group specifically helped the McGrath family by supporting them during Sloane’s recovery. They gave them the tools to talk to her about her brother’s death, and to begin their own grieving process. They helped Sloane learn to walk and play again, and eased the McGrath’s back into play in the hospital once Sloane was ready, with things like wagon rides, books, games, crafts, nail polish, etc. They helped the entire family transition from the hospital into the outside world and begin to navigate life without Colin.

About Giving Week

As we mentioned before, the Child Life Group is small, and so is their budget. They do incredible things with very few resources, and so Colin’s Joy Project supports them in any way they can so that they can continue their important work. In addition to sharing their Amazon Wish List, CJP donates $3k every year for supplies and other resources. This money was incredibly valuable during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

What started as a way to do something productive in the wake of the accident has transitioned into something that the McGrath family feels deeply connected to: helping others. What better way to spread joy in Colin’s name than to support other children and families who need it most?

Click here to learn more about how CJP has helped the Child Life Group in years past.

How You Can Help

There are a few ways you can help the Child Life Group as well as to further the mission of Colin’s Joy Project.

Click here to view the Amazon Wish List put together for BMC. Any donation is appreciated; nothing is too big or too small! 100% of the items purchased will be used to help a family cared for by the BMC Child Life Group. Please note, for shipping address, please use “Boston Medical Center - Child Life Organization, 1 BMC Place, Dowling 6 South, Rm 6102B, Boston, MA, 02118, United States”. Please include your name and address so that we may send a "Thank You" note.” Tax ID #04-3314093

Donate funds here! If you would prefer to donate directly to Colin’s Joy Project, you can do so via the link provided. As mentioned, CJP donates $3k every year in addition to the items purchased from the Wish List, so by donating money you are directly supporting the Child Life Group as well as Colin’s Joy Project’s other community partners.

The members of BMC’s Child Life Group

Stay tuned to learn more about how you can spread joy!

Meet the Colin’s Joy Project 2021 Boston Marathon Team!

This is the second in-person Boston Marathon for Colin’s Joy Project; they geared up to run their first in 2019 and were looking forward to the second when the Covid-19 pandemic put everything on hold. There were 20 members of Team Colin 2020, and several did complete the virtual marathon and still hit their fundraising goals. Now Team Colin 2021 is back and stronger than ever, ready to cross the finish line for the second marathon in Colin’s name this October 11th!

Some of the team members are repeat marathon runners and for some, this will be their first 26.2 miles, but what they all have in common is their love for Colin, for the McGrath family, and for the South Boston Community.  Read on to get to know some of these outstanding athletes!

Kerri McGrath

Bib number: 18264

Boston, MA

2nd Marathon (but trained for 3!) 

Brendan McGrath 

Bib number: 18525

Boston, MA

1st Marathon (but trained for 2!)

Kerri says she is running the 2021 Boston Marathon because: “I ran for Team Colin in 2019 to go out there and defy my anger, grief, resentment, and overwhelming sadness. Training for that marathon did that for me and built community along the way, but running that marathon left me feeling empty as if no physical feat I could accomplish would ever fill the void that was left when Colin died. Between then and now, I have worked hard on learning how to live a life with my grief as opposed to pushing it out. This marathon is less about my grief and more about the legacy we are building for Colin with every mile we run. I was ready to do this in 2020, and then the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. I went from running 22 miles freely around our city to being afraid to leave my house without a mask. As a physician, my days were completely consumed with COVID-19 work, and I had little to no time for exercise. Slowly, as the surge lifted, I began to find time to exercise again and devoted myself to being physically able to run Boston 2021.” 

Brendan’s motivation comes from a place of gratitude for all that others have given to Colin’s Joy Project, and the McGrath family. Inspired by the support of others, Brendan sees this experience as a way to further connect with the meaning and purpose behind the work of Colin’s Joy Project, and those who have helped the McGrath family along the way. While he does not consider himself a runner, this training experience was a growth opportunity for Brendan that he has valued tremendously. 

Being a part of Team Colin means everything to Kerri and Brendan.  “Every dollar this team raises, every mile this team runs, every bit of awareness we raise - we are building Colin’s legacy and bringing joy to families. Each runner is raising enough money to sponsor reading programs for families throughout a community; or playgroup, support programs, or play spaces for families. We cannot be Colin’s parents every day in the way we sought out to be, but we can be through the work of this organization and the work we put into Team Colin. That makes all the stress, hard work, and pain worth every minute. 

Zach Williams 

Bib number: 18197

Crofton, MD

2nd Marathon

Zach is Kerri’s cousin, and he says “there was never a question in my mind on what my answer would be if Kerri asked me to run Boston.  When someone asks you to run the Boston Marathon AND you get to raise for Colin’s Joy Project, it is an easy answer.” 

“Kerri and Brendan are some of the most remarkable people I know.  For those who know them personally, you know they pour their heart and soul into everything they do, and that shows in the success they have had so far with Colin’s Joy Project.  If you want to be part of something great, you answer when Kerri calls.”  

According to Zach, this will be his second marathon.  He says that “the running is hard, and the fundraising sometimes harder.  It is difficult for me to think about what my family has been through after Colin’s tragedy. Their response to the loss of Colin is nothing short of extraordinary.  Thinking of them quickly makes you realize running a marathon is easy compared to what they have had to endure.  The word “cousin” in our family might as well be brother or sister, and I would do anything for them.”

“Colin could brighten anyone’s day with his laugh and positive attitude.  The long runs become a little easier when you think of his million-dollar smile and the love he had for his parents and his sister Sloane.  The Boston community has shown its true colors with its outpouring of support for my family since the accident.  I have never seen anything like it.  I want to do nothing more than to help give back to these wonderful people and their community by running and supporting Colin’s Joy Project.”  

Devin Quirk

Bib number: 4165

Boston, MA

2nd Marathon 

Devin’s wife Michelle works with Kerri, and so Devin is running this year’s marathon to support their friend and her family. Devin says that “as a lifelong runner living in Boston, it’s an awesome experience to run one of the world’s greatest running events right in my backyard through the city that I love.  The last time I ran the marathon, I met my goal of breaking 3 hours (but just barely, I ran 2:59:41!), so this time the pressure is off and I’d love to just enjoy the experience in the last few miles a bit more.”

 “I’m running for Colin’s Joy Project to both honor Colin’s memory and contribute to Colin’s Joy Project’s inspiring mission of improving playspaces and programming for children in Boston.”  In addition to supporting CJP and the McGrath family,  Devin and Michelle are the parents of young children and thus are able see firsthand how Colin’s Joy Project is bringing joy to kids in the community. 

Bob Lydon

Bib number: 18862

Walpole, MA

1st Marathon

 As a friend to the McGrath family, and also as a father of three, Colin's Joy Project is close to Bob’s heart. Bob says that CJP is “an amazing charity, and <he> is glad to be a small part of the team to help raise funds for such an amazing family.” Bob is running the marathon with his brother Matt (featured below) and he says he can’t wait to get out there and run in the best marathon in the world for a great cause.

Matthew Lydon

Bib number: 19247

Boston, MA

3rd Marathon (but first in Boston!)

Matthew is also a good friend to the McGrath family, and he’s looking forward to running his third marathon this year! His first was at Disney World in 2007 and then NYC in 2011. This will be his first Boston Marathon, but he grew up going to Marathon Monday and cheering on the runners. He says “it's always been a personal goal of mine to make that turn onto Boylston St and finish Boston.  Having completed most of the training for 2020 before the race was canceled, I needed to finish the job this year.” 

 Matthew is “inspired by the way <the McGrath family> turned their family's tragedy into a positive for their community. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to represent Colin's Joy Project and honor Colin's memory by contributing to their mission. 

Daniel McLaughlin Jr

Bib number: 18636

Salem, NH

1st Marathon

 Danny has been a friend of Brendan McGrath for close to 20 years. When Brendan told Dannyl that he was planning to run the 2020 Boston Marathon, Danny says he wanted to do it with him “so he knew he wasn’t at this alone. Not just for the marathon, but in life in general.”

 Danny doesn’t consider himself a runner, and prior to signing up for the marathon, “the most miles <he> had run in the past was maybe 4! The time and dedication to be able to ramp up to be prepared to run 26.2 and raise money for CJP is a way for <he and his family> to support the McGrath family & Colin’s Legacy.”

 He goes on to say that “Colin was a great boy who is deeply missed every day. Colin’s Joy Project is a means for Colin’s legacy to live through new play spaces that will bring joy to kids.” 

 He’d also like to send out a huge THANK YOU to all the people who have supported him, especially “my Wife (Danielle) and kids (Drew 4 and Annabelle 2) for the mental, physical, and home support to be prepared for Oct 11th!”

Leah Murphy

Bib Number: 18829

Boston, MA

8th Marathon

 Leah is originally from Canada but her husband is from South Boston so they are currently raising their three children in Southie.  This will be her (very impressive) 8th marathon, and she says that after the past year and a half, it’s so nice to have the opportunity to run the 125th Boston Marathon.

 Leah first met Kerri when they were both training for the marathon in 2019, and their lives have intersected in numerous ways since. Leah says that Colin’s Joy Project is incredibly dear to her heart; they do “such wonderful things in our community, and they do an amazing job remembering the joy that Colin brought to this world. It’s truly an honor to run in support of this incredible charity.”

 Emily Andrew

Bib number: 18300

Raleigh, NC

1st Marathon

Emily is a native of Southie and, inspired by the strength of the McGrath family, reached out to Kerri to let her know she’d like to be a part of the marathon team if they ever had an open spot. She was pleasantly surprised to hear back from Kerri personally, and now she’s a proud member of Team Colin 2021!

Emily is running this year’s Boston Marathon in order to help grow Colin’s Joy Project so they can continue their mission to build and support programs in the community. 

She says that “being a part of Team Colin has been such an honor so far! The strength of the McGrath family is truly inspiring. Running the marathon is just one small thing that I can do to spread Colin’s joy!”

To make a donation to Team Colin, you can check out our donation page or the Go Fund Me page! Use the Boston Marathon app to track runners the day of, or visit the BAA website the day of. 

Happy 6th Birthday Colin!

Come celebrate Colin’s 6th birthday with a neighborhood pizza party! This family-fun party will be held at the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Marine Park on August 28th from 12-2pm.

Pizza will be provided along with slushies, games, music, a bounce house, face painting, art projects, and more! There will be fun for the whole family and it's bound to be a beautiful day celebrating Colin with our friends and neighbors. Colin’s 4th birthday party was a huge success with hundreds of gifts donated, and over 300 people in attendance. We can’t wait to get together again and celebrate with everyone! 

All we ask is that you bring a gift to support one of our community partners (more here). Suggested donations are: diapers (all sizes), wipes, school supplies (crayons, markers, pencils, notebooks, paper, glue), gift cards to places like Famous Footwear, Target, and CVS, and NEW backpacks.

You don't need to purchase tickets for this event, and everyone is welcome. We look forward to uplifting our community, enjoying time with its members, and spreading joy in honor of what would have been Colin's 6th birthday.

Click here for the event invitation, and stay tuned for more info on how Colin's Joy Project is supporting South Boston!

An update from Colin's Joy Project! August 2021

...And we’re back! The last 18 months have been quite a whirlwind for Colin’s Joy Project and the entire McGrath family. The pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but despite these chaotic times, the McGrath family made sure that Colin’s Joy Project didn’t get put on the back burner. Instead, they used this time as a new opportunity to spread joy in Colin’s name and uplift the Boston community just when it needed it the most, through supporting the Boston Resiliency Fund and developing new community partnerships.

image credit Boston Resiliency Fund

Colin’s Joy Project expanded on their community partners in order to reach more neighborhoods in Boston, including Dorchester. They’ve partnered with Read Boston and First Teacher, two groups dedicated to improving literacy and other educational skills in their local communities. Colin’s Joy Project granted $15,000 between both groups JUST in 2021 alone, allowing them to purchase books and sponsor reading programs, book clubs, and Storymobiles. You can read more about the contributions here.

image credit Read Boston

They also partnered with the Edgerly Boys and Girls Club and granted $7500 towards the purchase of technology and school supplies in order to supplement their back-to-school programming, which has been in greater demand than ever due to the way COVID-19 has impacted working families and school systems.

image credit Edgerley Family South Boston Club

In addition to working with new community partners, Colin’s Joy Project made sure to stay in touch with their existing partners such as Julie’s Family Learning Program, the South Boston Neighborhood House, and Boston Medical Center’s Child Life Program.  In all, Colin’s Joy Project granted over $250,000 to all of their community partners between 2019 and the present day. No doubt these organizations were thrilled to have the extra support during the challenging times of the pandemic. For more information on the grants given to the South Boston community, check out the Projects Page on our website.

The generosity of others was remarkable during the COVID-19 pandemic, and despite not being able to hold fundraisers, Colin’s Joy Project received many donations from individuals and companies.  The break from active fundraising gave Colin’s Joy Project ample time to plan their ongoing community projects. They’re proud to say that the addition to M Street Park is actively under construction, working hard to implement the fabulous ideas brought forth by Colin’s Creativity Squad, a creative collaborative with neighborhood children and the playground design team. Colin’s Courtyard is projected to begin construction this year, and the largest project, the Marine Park Playground Reconstruction, is set to begin either Fall of 2021 or Spring of 2022. The South Boston community is looking forward to seeing all these incredible projects progress! You can read more about these ongoing projects here.

Despite the hardships the pandemic has placed on people worldwide, Kerri said it truly warmed her heart to see that people still reached out to donate to Colin’s Joy Project. It’s times like these that make you thankful for your community and for those who choose to raise up others even when they’re struggling themselves. One way they’d like to say thank you is by inviting the South Boston community to come out and celebrate Colin’s 6th birthday with a neighborhood pizza party! All they ask is that you bring an item to be donated to one of the community partners. More info to come, but in the meantime check out the event invitation here!

Stay safe, look after one another, and please continue to spread joy in Colin’s memory.