Get Involved
At Zach’s Toy Chest®, we are powered entirely by volunteers. We have no paid employees, which means every toy delivered, every event hosted, and every smile created is made possible by people who generously give their time.
Whether you’re a former patient, family member, student, individual, business, or community group, there is a place for you at Zach’s Toy Chest. Together, we’re bringing joy and a sense of normalcy to children undergoing cancer treatment all year long.
Volunteer to sort toys >
Help prepare toys for delivery to the children we serve! This is a hands-on, manual, and labor-intensive volunteer opportunity that plays a vital role in our mission.
Every toy donated to Zach’s Toy Chest® is carefully sorted by hand to ensure it meets our hospital partners’ strict safety and donation guidelines. Volunteers inspect donations, organize toys by age and category, apply Zach’s Toy Chest stickers, inventory items, and package everything in heavy-duty storage containers to keep the toys clean, organized, and ready for delivery to local hospitals.
Volunteer shifts typically take place in our climate-controlled storage facility, which has access to restrooms and a water fountain. Volunteers should be comfortable standing, bending, lifting, and moving boxes of toys throughout their shift. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old to participate in toy sorting.
This behind-the-scenes work is essential to making sure children receive safe, high-quality toys when they need them most. Whether you can volunteer once or on a regular basis, your time has a direct impact on the children and families we serve.
Volunteer At Events >
From our annual golf tournament and A Summer’s Night with Santa to community outreach events and toy drives, volunteers are essential to every event we host.
Whether you enjoy greeting guests, helping with activities, setting up, decorating, or working behind the scenes, we’d love to have you on our team. Sign up below to receive email and/or text notifications when volunteer opportunities become available.
Become a ZTC Partner >
The need for new toys doesn’t end after the holidays. Children begin cancer treatment every day of the year, and Zach’s Toy Chest® is committed to ensuring they have something to bring comfort, joy, and a sense of normalcy throughout their journey.
By becoming a Zach’s Toy Chest Partner, you’ll help keep our hospital Toy Chests stocked, support our Kindness Cart, provide Courage Kits for children beginning treatment, and supply the specialized items our hospital partners request throughout the year.
Whether you’re an individual, family, business, civic organization, school, or community group, your partnership helps us continue delivering hope, one toy at a time. Click Here for information on how to become a ZTC Partner
Meet Our Volunteer Leadership Team
Holly Schwab
Founder & Executive Director
After her son Zachary was diagnosed with cancer at just 9 months old, Holly experienced firsthand the comfort and healing that play can bring during treatment. Inspired by that journey, she founded Zach’s Toy Chest® in 2009 to ensure no child facing cancer has to endure treatment without something to bring joy and a sense of normalcy.
Today, Holly leads the organization’s strategic vision, hospital partnerships, fundraising, community outreach, and volunteer engagement while continuing to grow ZTC’s impact across North Carolina and beyond.
Zachary Schwab
Co-Founder
As the inspiration behind Zach’s Toy Chest®, Zachary has been part of the organization since its very first toy drive in 2009.
Now a childhood cancer survivor, he is pursuing a degree in Exercise Science at the University of North Carolina Wilmington with plans to work in healthcare. Zachary enjoys volunteering at events, representing the organization in the community, and helping bring joy and hope to children during their own cancer journeys.
Adam Schwab
Logistics & Director of Heavy Lifting
Adam is Zach’s Dad and has been helping Zach’s Toy Chest® since the very first toy drive in 2009. While he jokingly insists he only signed up for one year, 17 years later, he’s still loading trucks, moving thousands of pounds of toys, setting up events, solving problems, and making sure everything gets where it needs to go.
He also proudly holds the unofficial title of Chief Complainer… though everyone knows he’d do it all again.
Our Board of directors
Holly Schwab
Founder & Executive Director
Holly leads the organization’s strategic vision, hospital partnerships, fundraising, marketing, community outreach, and volunteer engagement while continuing to expand ZTC’s impact across North Carolina and beyond.
She combines her personal experience as a childhood cancer parent with a professional background in marketing and business. Holly is passionate about building meaningful partnerships, empowering volunteers, and ensuring every child in cancer treatment knows they are supported from day one.
Cody Holliday
Allstate
Cody is the owner of an Allstate insurance agency and brings an entrepreneurial mindset, business leadership, marketing expertise, and a passion for serving the community to Zach’s Toy Chest®.
As a member of the Board of Directors, he helps develop innovative ideas, strengthen community partnerships, and identify new opportunities to grow awareness and support for the organization’s mission.
Jason Storey
RestorePro Reconstruction
Jason serves in Business Development with RestorePro Reconstruction and has been a dedicated volunteer with Zach’s Toy Chest® since 2012. Over the years, he has supported countless events, projects, and initiatives, making a lasting impact on the organization’s growth.
As a member of the Board of Directors, Jason continues to provide leadership, build community partnerships, and help advance the mission of bringing joy and a sense of normalcy to children undergoing cancer treatment.
Shanelle Edmonds
Eunoia Law Firm
Shanelle is an attorney and co-owner of Eunoia Law Firm, where she helps businesses navigate legal matters with confidence while building lasting relationships with her clients.
As a member of the Board of Directors, she brings valuable legal expertise, strategic leadership, and a passion for community service. Shanelle is committed to helping Zach’s Toy Chest® grow its impact and ensure more children and families facing pediatric cancer receive the support, joy, and hope they deserve.
Matt Lawing
West & Woodall Real Estate
Matt is a REALTOR® with West & Woodall Real Estate and has been a dedicated supporter of Zach’s Toy Chest® since 2019, when he first volunteered at one of our events and was inspired by the organization’s mission.
As a member of the Board of Directors, he brings organization, structure, and a thoughtful approach to planning, helping strengthen the team and support the continued growth of Zach’s Toy Chest® as it serves more children and families facing pediatric cancer.
Meet Our Professional Partners
Become a Volunteer
It only takes a minute to set up you being a volunteer. We look forward to hearing from you soon! We will reach out to you to confrim your volunteer status and gather additional information if needed. Thank you for your gift of time!