Brick by brick: How used LEGOs are making innovation more tangible for KC kids in need

Solopreneur Rhonda Jolyean Hale believes that all children deserve access to play — no matter their circumstances. As the Kansas City ambassador for the Pass the Bricks initiative, she’s working to build that reality by giving new life to donated LEGO bricks.

“We take gently used LEGO bricks — not the stuff the dog chews on — and we wash it, clean it, and sanitize it,” Hale said. “We make new sets for people, and that’s what I love about it.”

Used LEGOs cleaned and donated by Pass the Bricks in Kansas City; courtesy photo

Pass the Bricks, a national organization founded by Charlie Jeffers, a teen in California, collects unwanted LEGO bricks and turns them into complete sets. These kits are then donated to shelters, foster homes, and community organizations. 

In Kansas City, Hale’s chapter regularly partners with nonprofits like Rose Brooks Center, which supports survivors of domestic violence.

“These families often have to leave everything behind. So imagine getting a recently built LEGO set, it’s not brand new, but it feels special. It’s a moment of hopefully safety and healing,” explained Hale.

At Rose Brooks Center, art therapists use the donated sets during therapy sessions, giving kids an opportunity to express themselves through building and imagination.

“With these kids, it’s a moment of mindfulness,” Hale said. “They can focus on something creative rather than what they’ve just been through. It’s not about the bricks themselves, it’s about the possibilities they represent.”

The work of sorting and preparing the sets has also been comforting for Hale during a tough time in her own life, she said.

“Some volunteers helped washed the bricks in my bathtub with me during the winter when I was also going through some health issues,” she shared. “It’s not sexy, you’re straining and scrubbing bricks, but it was so wonderful. It became healing for me too.”

Rhonda Jolyean Hale, Kansas City ambassador for Pass the Bricks, poses with used LEGO sets ready for donation; courtesy photo

A community-powered mission

Kansas City has embraced the initiative with open arms, Hale said. Children and adults alike have donated, while volunteers help with washing, sorting, and packaging the sets.

“The community really got involved,” she said. “Kids were donating their entire collections. Seeing these kids give away everything just warmed my heart.”

Hale hopes to expand the project by involving more schools and clubs. She envisions high school students helping design and package the sets.

“How cool would it be to get all these high school clubs together?” she said. “They could design and package the sets themselves, knowing they’re creating something that will make another child’s day a little brighter.”

Used LEGOs cleaned and donated by Pass the Bricks in Kansas City; courtesy photo

Spreading joy and sustainability

Hale calls the repurposed LEGO sets “sustainable artifacts of joy,” as the “new” kits reduce waste while also bringing happiness to children.

“We’re keeping them out of landfills. But more importantly, these bricks become something meaningful,” she said. “Kids can keep them by their bed, play with them, and have this little light in their day. It brings back some nostalgia of a better time, or it helps them through a hard time.”

Her passion for creativity drives her work. As the founder of Jolyean Creative, Hale also leads LEGO Serious Play workshops, using hands-on building to help businesses and individuals spark new ideas and solve problems.

“When you’re using your hands and mind together, you retain so much more. Building with tangible things makes innovation more real,” said Hale.

Used LEGO sets — which Rhonda Jolyean Hale calls “sustainable artifacts of joy” — ready for donation; courtesy photo

Donate, volunteer, or spread the word

Hale encourages others to join the mission. Whether through donating unused LEGO, volunteering to wash and sort bricks, or helping organize sets, there are many ways to support the effort.

To learn more or get involved, contact Hale or visit Pass The Bricks.

“We always need donations for boxes and supplies,” she noted. “And we want this to be a true community thing, people giving back to people.”

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