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.
