Our Mission:
To enhance play spaces and sponsor children and family programming in our community.
Inspired by your generosity, we have been busy building a plan for Colin’s legacy. Here are some of projects in development.
Outdoor AND INDOOR Play space Projects in Development:
M Street Park Addition: OFFICIALLY OPEN!
Coordinated with Boston Parks & Recreation on additions to the M Street Park playground, including a large ship-themed play structure, additional climbing and play features inspired by Colin’s Creativity Squad, and improvements to the splash pad.Colin’s Courtyard: OFFICIALLY OPEN!
Coordinated with Boston Parks & Recreation and the Brown Foundation to create an inviting and engaging community courtyard at Monsignor Powers Housing, where the accident occurred. The new space includes a new entrance and fencing, a great lawn, shaded seating areas, and an interactive water feature where rocks painted by the community were placed.Marine Park Playground Renovation: OFFICIALLY OPEN!
Worked with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation on a large playground renovation project in South Boston at Marine Park at Joyce Memorial Playground. This project includes a new, larger footprint, a more accessible playground with fenced in play areas, and multiple play structures and features inspired by Colin’s Creativity Squad. A large donation from Colin’s Joy Project and matching funds from DCR’s Grants Programs funded much of this project. Check out the press update here!South Boston Catholic Academy Early Childhood Playground OFFICIALLY OPEN!
Worked with South Boston Catholic Academy (where Colin was enrolled and Sloane attends school) to design a play area for the early childhood students, named after Colin, funded in part by the outpouring of donations after Colin’s death and a large donation from Colin’s Joy Project. This playground was designed with Crowley Cottrell Landscape Architectural firm (who also worked with Colin’s Joy Project on Colin’s Courtyard!) and Kompan Playground equipment who also worked with us on M Street Park!Julie’s Family Learning Center Indoor Childhood & Family Playspace: OFFICIALLY OPEN!
Worked with the staff at Julie’s Family Learning Center, one of our main community partners, to design a colorful and inviting play space, the “Colin’s Joy Project Library”, to serve the mothers, children and staff engaged in programming and their new Universal Pre-K at Julie’s Family Learning. Inspired by the ideas of the Julie’s team, the creative design of the talented team led by Maggie Mitchell at Dyer Brown envisioned a play space to bring families together for learning and play, which was brought to life by the masterful work of A&M Construction. We couldn’t be happier with how it turned out!
Community Partnerships:
We are excited to share that we have donated over $1.3 Million in grants to our community partners since 2018! Check out all the ways that your donations have helped us spread Colin’s JOY to other families!
2024:
Granted $15,000 to First Teacher for their annual book club budget. This book club partnership began in 2022 and has significantly increased engagement in reading for families connected to First Teacher. This will fund the book club events and books for participating families for the year.
Granted $20,000 to the South Boston Neighborhood House’s Diaper Depot, a wonderful program which provides a month’s worth of diapers and wipes to registered families in the community at no charge.
Granted $20,000 to the Mass General for Children Pediatric Bereavement Program, which helps families navigate the first two years of their grief after losing a child, while also providing support for the clinical caregivers who play an important role in that journey. This partnership will fund support groups for families and maintains an enduring Amazon wish list for supporters of Colin’s Joy Project to provide donations for supplies for this important program.
Received a $50,000 multi-year grant from Audax Charitable Foundation to partner with Experience Camps to support sending 350+ CA and MA children to Experience Camps. Experience Camps provide free, one-week summer camps and innovative, year round initiatives for children and teens who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. Colin's Joy Project will collaborate with Experience Camps in communicating with families, recruiting new families to their programs, and providing feedback from families. In particular, Colin's Joy Project will leverage their existing collaborations with Boston pediatric bereavement programs and other non-profits serving children and families who have experienced grief and loss.
Granted $52,484 to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to complete the final touches for our playground renovation project in South Boston at Marine Park at Joyce Memorial Playground. This grant supports the restoration of the beloved turtle statue, creation of seating areas, and a memorial boulder describing the playground and its dedication to Colin.
Granted $2500 to the Friends of the Perry School fund to support field trips and programs for art, music, recess, and physical fitness for students at The Perry School in South Boston.
Granted $1000 to the MOMS Club of South Boston to support Family Fun Day, an engaging and educational community event welcoming hundreds of families for a day of free entertainment featuring musical and theater performances, touch-a-truck, bubbles, and much more in the beautiful oceanside DCR Marine Park.
Granted $5000 to the Edgerly Boys & Girls Club to support their summer camp programming.
Granted $1500 to Friends of the Condon School to support team building activities for Husky Day, a day filled with various outdoor activities and community involvement for students at the James F. Condon Elementary School in South Boston.
Granted $3,000 to the Boston Medical Center Child Life Program, to support operating expenses that improve the experience for the children and families receiving care from BMC. We also sponsored our 5th annual Colin’s Joy Project giving drive to restock their supplies for the year.
2023:
Granted $25,000 to Experience Camps for support of the launch of their new Family Camp program, which will provide grieving children and their families in the New England area the chance to play and laugh together again. This program will also help introduce families to the longer sleep away camp options available to grieving children through Experience Camps.
Granted $15,000 to First Teacher for their annual book club budget. This book club partnership began in 2022 and has significantly increased engagement in reading for families connected to First Teacher. This will fund the book club events and books for participating families for the year.
Granted $10,000 to the South Boston Neighborhood House’s Diaper Depot, a wonderful program which provides a month’s worth of diapers and wipes to registered families in the community at no charge.
Granted $16,320 to the Mass General for Children Pediatric Bereavement Program, which helps families navigate the first two years of their grief after losing a child, while also providing support for the clinical caregivers who play an important role in that journey. This partnership will fund support groups for families and will establish an enduring Amazon wish list for supporters of Colin’s Joy Project to provide donations for supplies for this important program.
Granted $2500 to the Friends of the Perry School fund to support field trips and programs for art, music, recess, and physical fitness for students at The Perry School in South Boston.
Granted $1500 to Friends of the Condon School to support team building activities for Husky Day, a day filled with various outdoor activities and community involvement for students at the James F. Condon Elementary School in South Boston.
Granted $1500 to the MOMS Club of South Boston to support Family Fun Day, an engaging and educational community event welcoming hundreds of families for a day of free entertainment featuring musical and theater performances, touch-a-truck, bubbles, and much more in the beautiful oceanside DCR Marine Park.
Granted $10,000 to ReadBoston, to fund Storymobiles and readers for their Dorchester and South Boston locations. Storymobiles provide children with interactive stories read by a professional storyteller, and every child who attends takes home a new book. The goal of the Storymobile program is to promote literacy activities during the summer months. Colin & Sloane frequented the Storymobiles every summer, and some of the McGrath family’s favorite books came from Storymobiles!
Granted $3,000 to the Boston Medical Center Child Life Program, to support operating expenses that improve the experience for the children and families receiving care from BMC. We also sponsored our 4th annual Colin’s Joy Project giving drive to restock their supplies for the year.
Granted $2500 to the Edgerly Boys & Girls Club to purchase supplies for their growing toddler programming.
Granted $10,000 to the South Boston Neighborhood House Holiday Helper Program, which provides holiday meals and gifts to families in the area.
Granted $1500 to the South Boston Catholic Academy’s annual Jingle Bell Run to support physical activity in children and families in the South Boston community.
2022:
Granted $450,000 to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation on a large playground renovation project in South Boston at Marine Park at Joyce Memorial Playground. This project will include a new, larger footprint, a more accessible playground with fenced in play areas, and multiple play structures and features inspired by Colin’s Creativity Squad.
Granted $181,000 to South Boston Catholic Academy to support the Colin’s Joy Project Early Childhood Playground.
Granted $24,000 to support the Integrated Pediatric Care Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. Given the shortage of clinicians trained in early childhood interventions, this grant sponsors the Professional Development Fund to support current staff and future trainees to be trained in gold-standard, evidence-based interventions.
Granted $3,000 to the Boston Medical Center Child Life Program, to support operating expenses that improve the experience for the children and families receiving care from BMC.
Granted $3,000 to the Edgerly Boys & Girls Club to purchase supplies for back to school programming.
Granted $4,000 to the South Boston branch of the Boston Public Library to sponsor monthly programming of live entertainers for the children’s program.
Granted $10,000 to the South Boston Neighborhood House’s Diaper Depot, a wonderful program which provides a month’s worth of diapers and wipes to registered families in the community at no charge.
Granted $12,000 to First Teacher for their annual book club budget. This will fund the book club events and books for every participating family for the year.
Granted $10,000 to the South Boston Neighborhood House Holiday Helper Program, which provides holiday meals and gifts to families in the area.
Granted $1500 to the South Boston Catholic Academy’s annual Jingle Bell Run to support physical activity in children and families in the South Boston community.
2021:
Granted $150,000 to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation on a large playground renovation project in South Boston at Marine Park at Joyce Memorial Playground. This project will include a new, larger footprint, a more accessible playground with fenced in play areas, and multiple play structures and features inspired by Colin’s Creativity Squad.
Granted $10,000 to Julie’s Family Learning Program for their supermarket gift card program, which helps families facing food insecurity throughout the year.
Granted $10,000 to the South Boston Neighborhood House Holiday Helper Program, which provides holiday meals and gifts to families in the area.
Granted $3000 to the Boston Medical Center Child Life Program, to support operating expenses that improve the experience for the children and families receiving care from BMC.
Granted $2500 to the South Boston branch of the Boston Public Library to fund take home art projects for children and families in the fall and winter.
Granted $3000 to ReadBoston, to fund Storymobiles at two Boys & Girls Club locations in Dorchester. Storymobiles provide children with interactive stories read by a professional storyteller, and every child who attends takes home a new book. The goal of the Storymobile program is to promote literacy activities during the summer months. Colin & Sloane frequented the Storymobiles every summer, and some of the McGrath family’s favorite books came from Storymobiles!
Granted $12,000 to First Teacher for their annual book club budget. This will fund the book club events and books for every participating family for the year.
Granted $7500 to the Edgerly Boys & Girls Club to purchase additional computers, iPads, and supplies for back to school programming. Also sponsored purchase of t-shirts for all campers in 2021 to build community among them.
Granted $5000 to Julie’s Family Learning Program to support their Family Literacy Program. Julie’s interactive family literacy curriculum engages parents and children in goal setting, family projects, technological literacy, shared cultural experiences, problem solving strategies, and critical and creative thinking. Learn more about their Family Literacy efforts!
Granted $10,000 to the South Boston Neighborhood House to support their Family Engagement Program. The focus of Family Engagement is school readiness and parent support, empowering parents to be their child’s first teacher and strengthening the family unit. Learn more about this comprehensive Family Engagement program!
Sponsored the 3rd Annual Giving Week for Boston Medical Center’s Child Life Program on the anniversary of the accident where hundreds of items were donated.
2020:
Granted $5000 to ReadBoston, in a collaboration with Boston Public Schools Early Childhood Department to gift a book to each K0-2 student in South Boston and Dorchester.
Granted $5000 each to the Edgerly Boys & Girls Club and First Teacher to support families to purchase holiday meals and gifts this season.
Granted $8000 to the South Boston Neighborhood House Holiday Helper Program, which provides holiday meals and gifts to families in the area.
Granted $5000 to Julie’s Family Learning Program for their supermarket gift card program, which helps families facing food insecurity throughout the year.
Sponsored Colin’s 5th Birthday Giving Week to bring needed supplies to our community partners. Celebrated Colin’s birthday with a “High Five for Colin” program where children could trace and color their hand prints, and for every hand print shared on social media, we pledged to donate $10 to our community partners. Through this we granted $3000 across 5 of our community partners!
Sponsored the 2nd Annual Giving Week for Boston Medical Center’s Child Life Program on the anniversary of the accident where hundreds of items were donated.
Granted $5000 to First Teacher, a community of parents and caregivers working together to prepare all our children for success in kindergarten and beyond. We also helped sponsor a book drive for their virtual book clubs with parents - https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2053EWL5M7LHZ?ref_=wl_share
Granted $3000 to Read Boston to assist with virtual storytelling and their annual StoryMobile program, a favorite of Sloane & Colin!
Granted $5000 to The Boston Resiliency Fund, established to provide food for children and seniors, technology for remote learning for students, and support to first responders and healthcare workers in the City of Boston. We anticipate that many of our local non-profits and members of our community will directly benefit from this fund to support those who need it the most.
Granted $5000 to the South Boston Neighborhood House to offset the losses from COVID-19 closures, the additional unfunded services they chose to provide to support their community, and their fundraising cancellations during this time.
Granted $5000 to the Edgerly Boys & Girls Club to offset the losses from COVID-19 closures and their fundraising cancellations during this time.
Granted $2500 to the South Boston branch of the Boston Public Library, effectively doubling their annual budget for children’s programming.
2019:
Sponsored drive for hundreds of materials and supplies for summer programming for The Ollie, Julie’s Family Learning, and the South Boston Public Library.
Sponsored a giving day for Boston Medical Center’s Child Life Program on the anniversary of the accident where hundreds of items were donated. Colin’s Joy Project also donated a $500 gift card used to purchase a high chair for children with disabilities.
Celebrated Colin’s 4th birthday with a beach BBQ giving day for Julie’s Family Learning Center and The South Boston Neighborhood House (The Ollie). It took 4 carloads to get all the donations to them! See here for more details.
Granted $5000 to the South Boston Neighborhood House Holiday Helper Program, which provides holiday meals and gifts to families in need.
Granted $5000 to Julie’s Family Learning Program for their supermarket gift card program, which helps families facing food insecurity throughout the year.
2018:
Supported a family at Christmas through Julie's Family Learning Center and the South Boston Neighborhood House (The Ollie) with a $1000 donation.
Supported the purchase of materials for the children’s program at the South Boston Public Library with a $500 donation. In discussions for longer-term support of this program.