Most toy companies talk about the joy of play. Judd Zebersky designed a corporate system to extend that play into hospitals, schools, and communities that would otherwise have little access to it. His approach, built through Jazwares and a parallel track of personal philanthropy, covered both the infrastructure of giving and the specific, human details that make donations meaningful.

Squishmallows for Sick Children

One of the more concrete expressions of Judd Zebersky‘s approach came through Star, a Squishmallows created not for retail shelves but for children dealing with serious illness. Jazwares donated more than 10,000 Star plush toys to Make-A-Wish chapters across the United States and Canada. Laura Zebersky chaired the Make-A-Wish Southern Florida board starting in 2022, and together, the Zeberskys funded more than 100 individual wishes and helped raise over $5 million at the InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball.

The Hospital Relationship

At Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, the Judd Zebersky family’s involvement went well beyond a check. Their $2 million donation supported the “Catch the Love” campaign, a $170 million expansion that more than doubled the hospital’s floor capacity. The hospital named two areas in their honor: the Pediatric Emergency Department Registration Area and the Outpatient Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Unit. The family also commissioned a custom Lotsy Dotsy doll modeled after the hospital’s resident clown a toy with no commercial purpose, built entirely to comfort children in a difficult setting. Judd Zebersky’s 29 years of leadership at Jazwares ended in March 2026 when he handed the CEO role to David Neustein. The programs he put in place, including Jazwares Cares, school partnerships, and hospital relationships, remain active. Read this article for additional information.

More about Judd Zebersky on https://www.linkedin.com/posts/university-of-miami-school-of-law_judd-and-laura-zebersky-jd-93-toymakers-activity-7249433715506843648-E0Af