Events
Event Calendar
Looking for specific events? Use the categories to filter our event opportunities.
Support the Dedham community collection!
Cradles to Crayons is calling on Dedham and its neighboring communities to clean out their closets and donate gently-used (or new) clothing to benefit local children experiencing Clothing Insecurity. Any number of items you donate helps!
WHEN: Monday, February 9, through Friday, February 27.
WHERE: Bring your donations to the large white donation bin located behind Dedham Country Day School (90 Sandy Valley Road, Dedham, MA).
WHAT WE ACCEPT: New and gently-used children’s clothing, shoes, and coats in ALL sizes. We do NOT accept toys.
Click to view our Quality = Dignity guidelines.
If you have questions or are interested in hosting a clothing drive at your school, office, or community center, email us at ma-community@cradlestocrayons.org.
Join us at Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester on Tuesday, February 17, at 2:00 PM for a story time reading and other activities with Blades, the Boston Bruins mascot!
This event is a part of our Annual Bruins PJ Drive. From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations.
Together, we are looking to collect 10,000 pairs of pajamas. By supporting us with a PJ Drive, you will directly supply new pajamas to the children who need them most so they can stay warm for a good night’s sleep. Register through our form below to get more information on hosting a PJ Drive with us.
Join us at Bridgewater Public Library on Thursday, February 19, at 10:30 AM for a story time reading and other activities with Blades, the Boston Bruins mascot!
This event is a part of our Annual Bruins PJ Drive. From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations.
Together, we are looking to collect 10,000 pairs of pajamas. By supporting us with a PJ Drive, you will directly supply new pajamas to the children who need them most so they can stay warm for a good night’s sleep. Register through our form below to get more information on hosting a PJ Drive with us.
Join us at Swansea Public Library on Thursday, February 19, at 2:00 PM for a story time reading and other activities with Blades, the Boston Bruins mascot!
This event is a part of our Annual Bruins PJ Drive. From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations.
Together, we are looking to collect 10,000 pairs of pajamas. By supporting us with a PJ Drive, you will directly supply new pajamas to the children who need them most so they can stay warm for a good night’s sleep. Register through our form below to get more information on hosting a PJ Drive with us.
Family Leadership Circle — a community of families giving back, together.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, families can bring or create pictures of inspiring women (from history, family, or public life) to go on our communal display. We encourage families to bring photos so that we can discuss what traits make these women inspiring.
Then, we will have a “Design Your Own Superhero” event, where kids will have the chance to create their own superhero characters inspired by the qualities highlighted during our discussion. They can name their superhero, describe her powers, and take photos with their creations in front of the inspiring women photo wall.
Please click the button below to sign up via our Volunteer Portal:
Sign Up
Want to learn more about the FLC, membership, and benefits? Click here!
Cradles to Crayons will be at the TD Garden for the Bruins – Capitals game on Saturday, March 7. Find us on the concourse (before the start of the 3rd period) to learn about Cradles to Crayons, the Bruins PJ Drive, and how you can get involved.
See below for more information about this year’s Bruins PJ Drive.
The Bruins PJ Drive is back! From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations.
Together, we are looking to collect 10,000 pairs of pajamas. By supporting us with a PJ Drive or pajama donations, you will directly supply new pajamas to the children who need them most, so they can stay warm for a good night’s sleep. Click the button below to learn more and register!
Final totals for Bruins PJ Drives are due March 15! Any totals submitted after this date will not qualify for prizes set by the Boston Bruins. Winners will be announced the week of March 16. The top-collecting groups will be awarded prizes set by the Boston Bruins! 1st place: team signed jersey; 2nd place: McAvoy signed jersey; 3rd place: McAvoy signed photo.
See below for more information about this year’s Bruins PJ Drive.
The Bruins PJ Drive is back! From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations.
Together, we are looking to collect 10,000 pairs of pajamas. By supporting us with a PJ Drive or pajama donations, you will directly supply new pajamas to the children who need them most, so they can stay warm for a good night’s sleep. Click the button below to learn more and register!
Support Team Cradles to Crayons at the 2026 Boston Marathon!
Cradles to Crayons is excited to announce that for the 15th consecutive year, we will be fielding a team of runners in the Boston Marathon! As an official charity of the 2026 Bank of America Boston Marathon Official Charity Program, members of Team Cradles to Crayons set a personal goal of raising at least $15,000—a key to our team’s success, and our ability to help thousands of vulnerable children across Massachusetts.
If you’d like to learn more about our team of runners and support their fundraising efforts, click here.
If you plan to be at the Boston Marathon, keep an eye out for our team in their purple Cradles to Crayons singlets! Click here to view the course information.
Our Signature Events
Un-Gala®
Learn more about this year’s Un-Gala and how we are helping local children prepare for the cold winter months here.
Our signature Gear Up for Winter event, Un-Gala®, brings families together to have fun and give back. Each winter, volunteers – of all ages – gather to sort and pack everyday essentials – like hats, gloves, and more – that bring warmth to thousands of Massachusetts children in need.
Boston Marathon
From Hopkinton through Boston, the marathon race path goes through many communities Cradles to Crayons serves. The race represents an opportunity for Cradles to Crayons to form a team of runners who support our mission, who care about the kids in the communities they are running through, and who want to raise funds to support kids receiving the essential items they need to thrive.
Backpack-A-Thon®
Learn more about our Ready for Learning Initiative and how we are helping prepare local children for the upcoming school year here.
Unlike their peers, kids from low-income or homeless families lack basic school supplies that provide them with a real chance to learn and succeed. Ready for Learning’s signature event, Backpack-A-Thon brings together nearly 1,000 volunteers, primarily corporate groups, to stuff thousands of backpacks for kids to feel prepared for a year of learning. Backpack-A-Thon is a high-energy corporate event fueled by great spirit and friendly competition.