Ryan’s Case for Smiles is a nonprofit organization with a heartfelt mission. A mission to bring comfort and cheer to children in hospitals through handmade pillowcases. By partnering with medical facilities and community volunteers, the organization transforms ordinary fabric into meaningful reminders that young patients are supported, cared for, and not alone during their hospital stays. Founded in 2007, the organization has since delivered more than 3 million pillowcases to children in need and, in turn, has helped create more than 3 million smiles.
With chapters located across the country, Ryan’s Case for Smiles continues to bring comfort, encouragement, and joy to children facing unimaginable circumstances.
Ryan’s Case for Smiles, formerly known as ConKerr Cancer, was started in 2007 by Cindy Kerr, whose son, Ryan, had cancer. According to the organization’s website, “It started with a simple goal to create and distribute whimsical pillowcases that give children an emotional boost and remind them that they are not defined by their illness.”
The South Jersey Chapter, led by Jane Pszczolkowski, has continued to thrive. In 2025 alone, the chapter delivered more than 3,000 pillowcases to nine local hospitals throughout southern New Jersey.
In addition to the dedication of Pszczolkowski and the chapter’s volunteers, support from local organizations has played a key role in helping Ryan’s Case for Smiles expand its reach and continue its mission.
“The South Shore Stitchers has made Ryan’s Case for Smiles a recipient of their raffle quilt proceeds for their last few quilt shows and again for the quilt show in October 2026. All that money is used to purchase fabric for the cases,” Pszczolkowski shared.
Another major contributor is Ocean City High School. For the past six years, under the direction of Amy Kohl, students have helped increase the number of pillowcases delivered to children receiving care at Shore Medical Center.
“Amy Kohl, a teacher at OCHS, and the dive team coach at the time, reached out to us about helping and sewing pillowcases,” Pszczolkowski said. “One of her colleagues was selling tickets for a Ryan’s Case for Smiles fundraiser, touring the Eagles practice facility; so, she bought those tickets for her husband and then started researching the organization. She contacted us to come and do a sewing event with the dive team. This is the sixth year now that we have sewed with the students at OCHS. We have had over 150 students participate during this time. Many of them have never seen a sewing machine before this.”
Kohl, an English teacher at OCHS for the past 14 years, shared that once she learned more about Ryan’s Case for Smiles, she knew she had to help in any way she could. As a mother of three, Kohl said she immediately recognized how meaningful the project was for families and children facing difficult hospital stays and set out to get her students involved.
“Any students are welcome to come and participate. We put the cases together in a handful of days with help from Jane and some other women with the organizations,” Kohl said. “The kids come in and work during their flex and lunch times. I’ll get pizza for them, and they play music, we make it fun and all while doing work for a good cause.”
Kohl shared that she purchases a variety of kid-friendly fabric patterns, including Grinch, Paw Patrol, Phillies sports themes, and more, before bringing everything back to the school so students can get to work together.
“Originally I had the kids fundraise for the materials we needed, but now this is the second year that we received a NJEA grant to cover the cost,” Kohl said. “This caused our contribution to grow from 50 pillowcases made to 170 that they made this year.”
Both Kohl and Pszczolkowski emphasized that no sewing experience is required to get involved. Volunteers from the South Jersey chapter assist students throughout the process, making the experience welcoming and enjoyable for everyone, even those who have never touched a sewing machine before. Kohl added that learning a new skill while helping others only adds to the impact of the project.
“The reason I do this and encourage the students to join is because I don’t just want to teach them about Shakespeare and commas, but that’s it’s all about giving back to your community,” Kohl said. “This helps teach them that things you do can make a difference. They’re seeing that their actions are actually brightening these kids’ days.”
And brightening children’s days, they certainly are. Each child who stays overnight at the hospital is given the opportunity to choose a pillowcase of their own, helping to add color, comfort, and a sense of normalcy to an otherwise clinical environment.
“I think it brightens their sterile room, and it can be a distraction while getting a procedure. RCFS has been the recipient of several donations from Miss Night in Venice, in Ocean City. This year one of the contestants told us that she and her brother received a pillowcase when they were younger and how much it meant to them,” Pszczolkowski shared. “The whole point of this is to bring some joy and smiles to the faces of children during a difficult time.”
After more than 3 million pillowcases and 3 million smiles, Ryan’s Case for Smiles continues to prove that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a lasting difference. What began as a single pillowcase sewn by a mother for her son has grown into a nationwide effort rooted in compassion, creativity, and community.
Pszczolkowski shared, “As we grow, we want to continue to provide all the cases needed to local hospitals and to get more people involved. We are reaching out to schools, churches and Girl Scout troops to teach them how to sew. I volunteer with a couple of retired teachers, and this is something that is very important to them also. This year we are reaching out to some organizations and are also being included in their team-building.”
The more Ryan’s Case for Smiles grows, the more children who benefit, and that is what it’s all about. If you or someone you know wants to get involved, the organization is always looking for volunteers!
Delaney Crawford is a dynamic entrepreneur with a passion for storytelling and digital marketing. Driven by a desire to empower local businesses, Delaney founded DLC Media, a company dedicated to helping businesses enhance their brand image and thrive online.
