On March 20, 2026, Judd Zebersky stepped down as CEO of Jazwares, ending a nearly three-decade run as the founder of one of the toy industry’s most recognized companies. What he left behind extended well beyond the Squishmallows brand: a giving infrastructure Jazwares Cares that had operated since the company’s founding in 1997 and touched hospitals, schools, and wish-fulfillment organizations across multiple countries.

An Organization Built Around Community

Jazwares Cares runs donation programs to children’s hospitals and nonprofits, maintains an Adopt-a-School initiative for Title I schools, and provides employees with 16 hours of annual paid volunteer time. In 2025, Judd Zebersky described the company’s purpose clearly: “Putting a smile on children’s faces is at the heart of everything we do.” The program’s scope grew in proportion to Jazwares itself from a startup operation to a company that sells products in over 100 countries and employs over 1,000 people.

Personal Gifts That Changed Facilities

Judd Zebersky’s personal philanthropy matched the institutional program. He and wife Laura donated $2 million to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital’s capital campaign, supporting a $170 million expansion that doubled the hospital’s floor count. The hospital named both the Pediatric Emergency Department Registration Area and the Outpatient Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Unit after the family. The couple also created a custom Lotsy Dotsy doll for the hospital’s pediatric patients, designed after the facility’s resident clown.

Their relationship with Make-A-Wish Southern Florida was equally substantial. Laura Zebersky chaired the organization’s board after three years as a member. The couple funded more than 100 individual wishes and supported the InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball, which raised over $5 million. Jazwares donated more than 10,000 Squishmallows a character named Star, made specifically for children with serious illnesses to Make-A-Wish chapters across the U.S. and Canada. Those programs, like the rest of the giving infrastructure Judd Zebersky built, remained operational after his departure. See related link for more information.

Learn more about Judd Zebersky on https://jazwares.uk/about-us/leadership