Thirty Ways to Get Involved & Support Children’s Cancer Association
This article is part of our 30 on 30 series, commemorating 30 years of Children’s Cancer Association in 2025. This month, we're looking to the future — and the many ways that this wonderful community can continue to support the incredible children and families that we serve. Throughout 2025, we’ve honored 30 years of JoyRx Programs. We’ve shared interviews, hosted events, gathered with volunteers, and celebrated the people who have lit the way for our first three decades. While we honor our roots, we also know demand for our services is higher than ever. We know that we can only continue to build the future by working with this fantastic community of advocates and champions.
And that community sometimes asks us: “What can I do to support you?”
There are so many meaningful ways that you can create impact with Children’s Cancer Association, to make a difference for children and families today, and for the future.
Here are thirty ways:
1.
Donate
Our valuable programs are provided to children, families, and hospitals for free, which means that every donation, in any amount, makes our work possible. Even $5 can help fund egg shakers in a child’s hospital room, creating moments of play and connection with music.
2.
Follow us on social media
Join the conversation to see what our community is up to! Engage, share, react, and learn the latest news on our social channels. You can find @ccajoyrx on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, so follow us to stay up to date on fun updates, inspiring stories, and other calls to get involved.
3.
Support our community partners
Throughout the year, we partner with other businesses, organizations, and individuals to raise awareness and critical funds. The success of those team-ups comes from people like you stopping by and supporting!
Keep an eye out for our Joy Makers throughout the year and look for ways to garner support, whether by rounding up at checkout, purchasing items inspired by Children’s Cancer Association, or simply supporting the business on a specific day. And thank you to each of our community Joy Makers for the incredible support that you share!
4.
Become a mentor
There’s a child in the hospital who needs a trusted mentor to help build a connection and a sense of belonging. Could you be that person?
We think so, yes!
Our JoyRx Mentors come from diverse backgrounds and share their experiences in different jobs, hobbies, interests, languages, and energy levels. But they’re all united in one central belief: that it makes a difference when we show up for children and families when they need us most.
We can always use mentors. Demand for JoyRx Mentorship is at an all-time high. Can we count on you to join the pool of dedicated volunteers and make a child’s day a little brighter?
5.
Host a toy drive
Being stuck in the hospital is super boring. Thankfully, JoyRx Mentors visit their friends in the hospital with a stuffed toy bag filled with fun toys, games, and activities they can do together. But that means we’re always seeking donations to help fill those bags.
Hosting a toy drive in your community or at your workplace is a great way to build awareness and generate support! Our team can share a list of the most-requested items and lessons learned from previous toy drives to make it as easy as possible for you to make a big impact.
6.
Become a music volunteer
Are you a musician looking for a high-impact volunteer opportunity? We rely on musician volunteers to play comforting songs in hospital lobbies throughout Portland, Oregon, and Austin, Texas.
Flute, guitar, violin, cello, harp, piano… We’ve had a few different types of instruments come in over the years, and we’re always excited to welcome more!
7.
Join our newsletter
We deliver impact stories, news, and essential updates to inboxes each month, and we’d love to grow our list to include those who want to stay up to date on what’s happening at Children’s Cancer Association.
Even just opening and clicking on a couple of links in these newsletters can make a big difference, especially if you’re forwarding inspiring stories to a friend or loved one!
8.
Join a JoyRx event
We’re always out in the community hosting events that help raise critical funds, recruit new mentors, or otherwise engage with the community — and we’d love to have you join us!
From golf events to benefit concerts, from keynote speakers to inspirational meals, we’d love to see you in the crowd!
9.
Donate your vehicle
Looking to trade in your car for a newer model? Donating a vehicle to a charity is a great way to avoid the hassle of selling a car, AND has the added benefit of helping your community — and how cool is that?
Our friends at Helping Hands Charity Services will facilitate the pickup of your car and ensure that your donation receives maximum value. That means larger tax deductions for you, and more impact for the kids and families served by JoyRx Programs.
10.
Watch our YouTube videos, like, and subscribe
Looking for your next favorite song? We have a vast collection of music available on our JoyRx Music YouTube channel (for teens and above) and our JoyRx Kids YouTube channel (for 13-year-olds and under).
We have music for every occasion — whether it be classic kid-favorites, holiday-specific, covers from up-and-coming artists, stripped-down versions of your old favorites, or exclusive concert content created just for JoyRx Music.
There’s a little bit of something for everyone. The more you watch, like, and engage, the more traction we’ll get on YouTube. We all know the algorithm can be a beast, so your support helps tremendously!
11.
Donate Legos
So maybe you don’t have the time to host a full toy drive for JoyRx Mentorship — that’s okay! You know what we always need more of? Legos!
Unlike other toys, Legos typically can’t be reused (after all, our little friends will build their set and want to keep it, right?), so we need to replenish them frequently.
Legos remain among our most requested items for children in the hospital.
12.
Introduce us to new corporate friends
Do you have an employer seeking a new way to engage in community charitable work? Are you part of an organization, club, or group that our mission would inspire? We want to meet them!
We’re always looking for new friends in the community, and rely on our current community to help make those connections. Whether it's for fundraising, an awareness campaign, volunteer services, or other partnerships, we’re ready to discuss a sponsorship opportunity with new corporate partners!
13.
Become an office volunteer
We also always need friends to join us in the office to help with general tasks — such as addressing envelopes, printing and cutting materials, organizing toy closets, digital archiving, etc.
This is the perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to dip their toes into getting involved, or someone who loves the small details and staying organized. We are a small but mighty staff, so any support at our Portland headquarters makes a huge difference.
14.
Purchase a gift from our JoyRx Music wishlists
Your support helps us fill music carts with quality instruments for kids to enjoy during bedside interactions. This is a convenient way to ensure your donation goes exactly where you want it to. Interested in funding a ukulele lesson? You can make that happen with one click!
15.
Join a leadership council
Our central hub offices (Portland, Austin, and New York City) each host a corresponding leadership council, comprising individuals who bring talent, passion, and expertise in marketing, fundraising, programs, and community engagement.
If you’re looking for a leadership development opportunity that also increases your involvement in the community, consider learning more about our Leadership Councils.
16.
Host a peer-to-peer fundraiser
Ready to get your community energized? Hosting a peer-to-peer fundraiser is an effective way to showcase your passion and dedication to charitable work. By invigorating your network of friends, colleagues, and loved ones, you help build momentum for our JoyRx Programs, ensuring children receive vital funding for their joy.
We’ve had polar plunges, 5k marathons, knitting challenges, and more facilitated through peer-to-peer fundraising. Have a challenge you want to conquer or a birthday you want to memorialize through giving? This is the perfect option!
17.
Record music for On Demand
Are you a talented musician who is a bit nervous about playing in a hospital lobby as a music volunteer? Or are you based outside Portland or Austin but still want to bring joy to kids through music?
JoyRx On Demand is ready to meet kids wherever they are. That’s why we’ve partnered with healthcare staff to integrate music into their existing entertainment systems and to broadcast on-demand offerings for children to access. Whether it’s available on their personal devices, via CCTV, or accessible 24/7 on YouTube, JoyRx Music On Demand helps kids feel connected whenever they need it most.
But where do those on-demand offerings come from? A good handful of them come from supporters within our community, dedicating their lyrical or musical talent to helping kids feel like kids again. Got a favorite song you’re just itching to record? This could be a fantastic way to give back to your community!
18.
Become a monthly donor
We are grateful for all of our supporters, but monthly donors hold a special place in our community. These recurring donations are a sustainable way to give meaningfully, and we rely on our monthly donors to continue quality of service throughout the year.
Even just $5 a month can make a big difference.
19.
Purchase supplies for the Caring Cabin
The Alexandra Ellis Caring Cabin provides an essential connection to the natural world. Nestled within 24 acres of surrounding woods, with abundant wildlife and a serene lake, the Caring Cabin on the Oregon Coast provides children in treatment and their extended families with a place of peace in a calming environment.
When you purchase items from our Amazon Wishlist, you help supply the Alexandra Ellis Caring Cabin with new activities, pantry staples, and household items.
Not sure what to do to make a significant impact? Never underestimate the power of cleaning supplies to help us truly welcome a family navigating immuno-compromised travel, or or the joys of seeing a newly released movie while snuggled up at the coast.
20.
Comment on our posts
Following us on social media is already a big help. But commenting on our posts helps boost traffic and drive engagement. Also, we love hearing from our community about which stories resonate or inspire!
Even a purple heart emoji in the comments can help lift someone’s spirit!
21.
Group volunteer at the Caring Cabin
Throughout the year, the Caring Cabin requires additional support, including landscaping tasks such as weeding, clearing paths, and picking up debris, as well as other cleaning tasks such as reorganizing shelves, dusting furniture, and chopping firewood.
We invite our corporate supporters to sign up for volunteering opportunities at the Caring Cabin, where a team of volunteers can make a meaningful difference during a family’s stay. These are the things that families never have to think about — they can show up at the Caring Cabin and enjoy their time as a family.
22.
Give in-kind gifts
Often, as part of our fundraising efforts, we’ll host auctions, raffles, or other giveaways featuring exciting activities and experiences. These activations usually feature exciting rewards such as getaways or exclusive experiences.
Do you have a yoga studio where you can provide lessons? Are you a renowned chef willing to host a private dinner? Do you own a vacation home? Work at a concert venue? Do you own a small business with enticing merchandise or gift card incentives?
Regardless of your passions or expertise, there’s an opportunity to make an in-kind contribution to the Children’s Cancer Association that we can then auction.
23.
Consider a legacy of joy
By including Children’s Cancer Association in your will or estate plans, your bequest can help create a legacy of joy.
We understand that leaving a gift of this kind requires careful consideration. We can provide additional information about gifts of retirement funds, life insurance, and examples of strategies that have worked best for other legacy donors.
We can also assist you and your legal team with details that you need in order to complete your beneficiary forms. Our understanding of your intentions ensures your gift will be honored as you wish. Thank you for considering planned giving for the future.
24.
Become an event volunteer
Want to feel the thrill of a JoyRx event while also engaging in invigorating volunteer work? We love our event volunteers for the pizzazz, energy, and dedication they bring to our events. We could not host these notable events without the extraordinary individuals who support setup, registration, organization, transportation, and more.
25.
Give gift cards for families
Gift cards are always needed to support the kids and families we serve. Please consider sending us gift cards from vendors such as: Grocery stores, gas stations, Visa, Target, Walmart, Amazon, iTunes, delivery services, Starbucks, etc.
Think of any little treat you like to give yourself… now imagine what an impact that would have on a family undergoing some of life’s biggest challenges.
An iced coffee or a worry-free trip to the grocery store might not seem like a huge deal, but it can mean so much to a busy parent rushing between hospital appointments with their children.
26.
Recommend our services to a friend
Do you know a family facing a pediatric cancer diagnosis or long-term hospitalization? Receiving such news is devastating and often overwhelming, with parents unsure where to turn or what to do for support.
If you know someone who would benefit from our programs, please tell them about us, and ask them to speak to their social worker or Child Life Specialist about JoyRx Programs. Making that connection helps us to meet kids where they are and empower them to find their joy again.
27.
Encourage a friend to become a mentor
Do you have a fantastic friend? We bet you do. We bet that when you think of a JoyRx Mentor, someone you know comes to mind and you think, “Yeah, they’d be really good at that!”
Why not let them know and direct them to us? As we said above, we’re always looking for more mentors — so what better way to give back than to join the pool of volunteers alongside your friend?
28.
Shop for JoyRx Mentorship
Please help us fill toy bags of new toys, activities, books, puzzles, and games for mentors to enjoy with their mentees. We’re always keeping our Amazon wishlist updated with the newest, most-requested toys here.
29.
Share stories with a friend
Whether you follow us on social media, listen to music on YouTube, or read stories in our newsletter, we hope that when you encounter something truly inspiring, you’ll forward it to your friends and network.
Even though we’ve been in the community for three decades, we still find new friends every day who didn’t know we were here. That’s why we’re so grateful to our circle of friends who help bring in new faces and new ideas to the organization.
If you think of another opportunity to help us achieve our mission — please let our team know! We are always open to possibilities and looking for ways to make meaningful connections.
30.
Wear purple proudly
At Children’s Cancer Association, we know the power of purple. It’s our rallying cry, our steadfast color. Even something as simple as wearing a purple shirt when you go out into the community helps build awareness and connect our hearts.
You are part of a community of steadfast champions, and when you wear purple, you are united in a single focus: helping sick kids feel like kids again, not just patients.
So wear purple proudly, turn up your favorite song, dance and sing a little too loud, and remember that your joy is a superpower and that joy grows exponentially when we share it.