We are so excited about Ethan’s Read+Think+Thrive (RTT) Boxes, which are book boxes for SuperKids who are battling cancer or other life-threatening conditions. Each box consists of a mini-library of 10 new high-quality books curated by Ethan by age and gender of the recipient. The box also contains an RTT Challenge from Ethan asking SuperKids to respond creatively to one of the books in the box, along with a toolbox of art supplies for creative and written book responses. Ethan came up with this idea when he learned that a fellow Leukemia warrior relapsed and would have to be hospitalized and in extended isolation as he underwent a bone marrow transplant. Ethan asked: “Can we send him some new books to read, to help him get through this, even though he’s not at CHOC?” And so the RTT Box was born!

In 2017, ECBC teamed up with an awesome girl scout troop in Orange, CA (Troop #3115), who spent the year book-raising and fundraising for the Girl Scouts Bronze Award — culminating in our first RTT Box packaging day where the girls  decorated and put together ten RTT Boxes (valued at about $100/box). These boxes were given to preschool through middle school aged patients who were either recently diagnosed with cancer or who had recently relapsed. (Half of these were patients at CHOC, and the remaining recipients were in other parts of the country.)  Ethan was so proud of these boxes — Books and reading gave Ethan more opportunities to think hard, connect with others, and travel to other worlds while he was in the hospital. He found it so rewarding to be able to share this with other SuperKids!! 

In 2018, especially with the success of our inaugural charity run (BOOK IT!), we were able to raise enough funds to start 2019 able to provide a book box for every chancer diagnosis at CHOC, which is about 5-10 boxes per month. We also are hoping to start to send boxes out to children at other hospitals and in other states via our online book request forms, which allows us to send individually . curated boxes to SuperKids everywhere!

Use the form below to request  that a Read+Think+Thrive Box be sent to a new cancer diagnosis in the United States. Include recipient’s name, diagnosis and diagnosis date, and mailing address. Click here to sponsor this box — which is a $100 donation.

Here are 4 ways you can help us collect RTT Box books and supplies:

1. BY DONATING BOOKS

Since the books in each RTT box are specific for the age and gender of the child, there are 12 different sets of books that are needed (for boys and girls in six age categories including infants/toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary schoolers, upper elementary schoolers, middle schoolers, and high schoolers).  Ethan has come up with a list of TEN THRIVE TITLES for each of these 12 categories (called Ethan’s TTT List) — which is a curated list of the THE TEN MOST FANTASTIC books that Ethan thinks all kids of that age X gender group must have!!

You can help by purchasing one, several, or all of the books off of a particular TTT list to donate, which will be sent directly to Ethan & Choco’s Book Club. If a donor purchases all of the books for a specific box, that donor’s name will be included in the box as the sponsor. Below are links to the TTT lists for each of the 12 categories of boxes:

• INFANT/TODDLER BOYS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for an infant or toddler boy’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• INFANT/TODDLER GIRLS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for an infant or toddler girl’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• PRESCHOOL BOYS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for a preschool boy’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• PRESCHOOL GIRLS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for  a preschool girl’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• EARLY ELEMENTARY BOYS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for  an early elementary-aged boy’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• EARLY ELEMENTARY GIRLS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for an early elementary-aged girl’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• UPPER ELEMENTARY BOYS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for an upper elementary-aged boy’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• UPPER ELEMENTARY GIRLS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for an upper elementary-aged girl’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for a middle school boy’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for a middle school girl’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• HIGH SCHOOL BOYS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for a high school boy’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!
• HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS: Click here to purchase one of the Ten Thrive Titles for a high school girl’s RTT Box (via Amazon.com)!

2. BY DONATING ART SUPPLIES

We need help collecting writing and art supplies as well, so that SuperKids can respond creatively to the books in the box and participate in Ethan’s Read+Think+Thrive Challenge!

Click here to donate some art supplies for the RTT Toolbox that goes in every Read +Think +Thrive box!

3. BY MAKING A MONETARY DONATION

Click here to access ECBC’s fundraising page, where you can donate any amount to support the RTT Box program. Please note in the Comments box that you want your donation to go towards RTT boxes. A donation of $100 covers the cost of a box and makes you an “RTT Box Sponsor” (your name will be included in the box).

4. BY INVOLVING YOUR CHILD, CLASS, OR YOUTH GROUP AS AN RTT BOX THRIVE BUDDY!

Click here to learn more about how your child or student can help!

Contact ECBC if you have a youth or volunteer group that is interested in helping with our RTT Box program.