Delivering Comfort with Purpose: How a Custom Corrugated Packaging Company Helped a New Jersey Nonprofit Expand its Impact on Hospitalized Children

Posted on 10/17/2025

Creature Comfort Foundation and HALO Branded Solutions partner with Boxes by Design to reimagine “comfort kit” packaging, streamline costs, and spread joy to hospitalized children across the U.S.

When Ava, a compassionate young woman and hospital volunteer from New Jersey, saw first-hand the emotional toll of extended hospital stays on pediatric patients, she felt compelled to make a difference. What began as a single act of kindness - offering a teddy bear to one young patient in tears - quickly grew into something bigger. 

With the help of the hospital’s head nurse, Ava launched the Creature Comfort Foundation, a nonprofit on a mission to provide emotional support and joy to pediatric patients through thoughtfully curated “comfort kits.” Each kit is filled with tactile, age-appropriate items like fidget spinners, Pop-Its, notebooks, crayons, stickers and more. Delivered to children’s hospitals across the U.S., these boxes offer not only a break from the clinical routine but also relief, distraction, and a sense of care during difficult moments.

As the initiative has expanded - with over 60 hospitals reached and a goal of 400+ on the horizon - the logistics of packaging, storage, and fulfillment became increasingly complex. That’s when the foundation, alongside its promotional partner, HALO Branded Solutions, turned to Boxes by Design (BXD) for a more sustainable and scalable packaging solution.

Packaging with Heart - and Purpose

Operating under the Community Foundation of South Jersey, Creature Comfort works with HALO Branded Solutions to source and brand the items that fill each kit. But the packaging itself - often a child’s first physical interaction with the gift - needed a smarter approach.

Originally working with a national supplier, the foundation faced limited flexibility and rising freight costs. They needed a local, agile partner who could not only elevate the unboxing experience but streamline the entire process from production to delivery.

Through a local connection, they met Bruce Garrison of Boxes by Design. Together with HALO, BXD created vibrant, custom-designed boxes holding eight items, each wrapped in tissue and topped with a postcard telling Ava’s story. The boxes met strict pediatric safety standards and were stored in hospital-ready batches of 100. Local pickup from BXD’s Concord, NC facility cut freight costs and simplified coordination with HALO’s fulfillment center.

“This project was a great example of collaboration done right,” said Melissa Barnes, Senior Brand Consultant at HALO Branded Solutions. “Together, we were able to deliver something that’s both meaningful and manageable at scale.”

Results That Matter

The results have been both practical and meaningful. Local pickup has reduced freight expenses, allowing the foundation to reinvest in its mission. With 2,000 kits in production at a time and shipments organized in batches of 100 per hospital, the system is scalable and ready for wider reach.

Today, Creature Comfort kits are reaching more than 60 hospitals, creating moments of joy and comfort during difficult times. For HALO, Boxes by Design, and the foundation, it’s a shared success.