Before Squishmallows became a cultural phenomenon, Judd Zebersky made a decision that would shape the company he was building: philanthropy would not be an afterthought. It would be structural. From the founding of Jazwares in 1997, Zebersky embedded charitable giving into the company’s identity through a dedicated arm called Jazwares Cares.

Jazwares Cares

Jazwares Cares operates donation programs, school partnerships, and employee volunteer initiatives across multiple countries. What started as a small toy company’s community outreach has grown into a global giving infrastructure that reflects the scale of the business itself. Jude Zebersky‘s philosophy was simple: if the company’s mission was putting smiles on children’s faces, that mission had to extend beyond retail shelves.

The philanthropic work took on particular depth through the company’s relationship with Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in South Florida. Judd Zebersky and his wife Laura donated $2 million to support a major facility expansion, part of a $170 million construction project that doubled the hospital’s capacity from four floors to eight. The hospital honored the contribution by naming two units after the family the Pediatric Emergency Department Registration Area and the Outpatient Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Unit.

Personal Commitment to Children’s Health

The couple also worked with the hospital on a product level. They developed a custom Lotsy Dotsy doll, modeled after the hospital’s resident clown character, specifically designed to comfort young patients during their stays. The doll represented the kind of hands-on, product-driven giving that distinguishes Zebersky’s approach from traditional corporate check-writing.

Judd Zebersky stepped down as CEO on March 20, 2026, after nearly three decades at the helm. The giving infrastructure he spent years building the hospital relationships, the school partnerships, the volunteer programs remains in place, a lasting feature of the company he created. Refer to this article, for related information.

Find more information about Judd Zebersky on https://www.jazwares.com/about-us/leadership