Corporate giving at Jazwares did not look like a line item on an annual budget. Under Judd Zebersky, the company founder and CEO who held the role for nearly three decades, it looked like a Squishmallow designed for a child in the oncology ward. It looked like a family donating $2 million to expand a pediatric hospital. It looked like an executive’s spouse chairing a nonprofit board for years.
Judd Zebersky created Jazwares Cares as a formal philanthropic structure from the start of the company. As Jazwares grew into a global enterprise with offices across multiple countries, Jazwares Cares grew with it, adding school partnerships and employee volunteer programs to its donation work.
The Make-A-Wish Investment
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida became one of Judd Zebersky‘s most sustained charitable commitments. Laura Zebersky joined the organization’s board of directors in 2019 and assumed the chair position in 2022. Together, she and Judd Zebersky funded more than 100 individual wishes for children with serious illnesses. The couple also served as benefactors at the InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball, an event that raised over $5 million.
Jazwares contributed on the product side as well. The company created Star, a Squishmallow made specifically for children facing serious health challenges, and donated more than 10,000 units to Make-A-Wish chapters throughout the United States and Canada.
Lasting Infrastructure
The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital relationship ran equally deep. Judd Zebersky and Laura donated $2 million toward the facility’s expansion from four floors to eight, part of a $170 million project. The hospital named two units in their honor. A custom Lotsy Dotsy doll, developed in collaboration with the hospital’s clown program, was distributed to young patients as a comfort item. Judd Zebersky transitioned out of the CEO role in March 2026, with all giving programs continuing under new leadership. See related link for additional information.
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