A 17-year-old high school junior from Camden County is making a big difference in the lives of children navigating difficult moments in family courtrooms.
Andrew Passalacqua, a Bishop Eustace High School student, has founded a nonprofit organization called Crayons for Courts, which supplies crayons and coloring books to help comfort children during tense court proceedings.
The inspiration for the project came from a visit to the courtroom where his mother works as a judge.
Andrew recalls a striking moment that planted the seed for his idea.
He observed two parents arguing during a legal proceeding while their young child, estimated to be around 5 to 7 years old, sat in the courtroom watching the conflict unfold.
Shocked by the emotional impact such situations could have on children, Andrew was inspired to take action and provide a comforting distraction for kids in these difficult environments.
Andrew began raising funds to purchase thousands of crayon boxes and coloring books.
The initiative has already gained traction, and Andrew is working to expand Crayons for Courts to other counties across New Jersey, with aspirations of possibly going national.
What began as a community service project for school has, incredibly, grown into a heartfelt mission to bring moments of comfort to children during emotionally charged courtroom experiences.
Andrew, with his nonprofit, proves that the smallest gestures can have the biggest impact.
