Jackson Ptacek is only 5 years old but he's on a mission to spread a little joy to others.
Jackson, from Noblesville, Indiana, donated around 500 stuffed animals to children in need.
“He said, ‘Mommy I’ve been thinking about something for a lot of days, and I finally decided to tell you. I want to get stuffed animals and give them to kids that need them and don’t have them,’” his mother, Abbi Ptacek, told NBC affiliate WKYC of Cleveland.
When she asked him why he wanted to donate stuffed animals, Jackson said he wanted children feeling sad "to be able to get their stuffed animal and feel happy."
After Christmas, Jackson's parents began asking friends and family to send them any of their unused plush toys. They named the touching good deed "Jackson’s January of Joy."
It didn't take long for Jackson to collect hundreds of stuffed animals. In February, he dropped some off at the Noblesville Fire Department.
"This little hero came up with the idea, helped organize, and even helped carry the boxes of stuffed animals (and cookies) into the station. Thank you Jackson for all of your hard work!" the fire department wrote. "The stuffed animals are being distributed to our apparatuses and will be available to comfort children on calls."
Ptacek told WKYC that her son chose the fire station so first responders could pass out the bears and toys to children while responding to calls.
He also donated some to Fueled for School, a Noblesville group that provides lunches for students in need.
Ptacek said she hopes the stuffed animals bring the kids who receive them joy.
"I just think that it’s the time that we are in. Everybody is going through a difficult time. If there is any way you can bring a smile to people’s faces or bring a little bit of joy, I think that’s the thing to do,” she told the station.