A "thank you" gift inspired a unique and amazing way for Jayson to give back to his community.
"I wanted to inspire kids to care for animals more humanely, and I wanted to raise money to help rescues and shelters."
When Jayson received a t-shirt “thank you” gift from one of the rescues to which he donated, that became the impetus for Jayson’s Rescue T-Shirt Project.
After a few students in Jayson’s school commented on the rescue t-shirt he was wearing and asked questions about the rescue, Jayson realized that the majority of his peers had no knowledge or understanding about the plight of stray animals. He asked his mom to help use social-media to request t-shirts from other rescue organizations. He planned to represent a different group each school day until the shirts ran out. Well… they never ran out. Jayson collected shirts from over 270 rescues around the world his very first year of the project! He was able to represent a new group every day, educating other kids about the terrible realities facing homeless animals.
Word of the t-shirt project spread. He was asked to speak to peer groups and elementary school children, and was featured in several magazines. He even wrote an article for Dog Writers Association of America. A large, well-known shelter that sponsors “A Night in the Dog House” asked Jayson to participate, and he did so alongside Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. Jayson even received the prestigious “President’s Volunteer Service Award”.