2024-25 Odyssey Angels

This year’s selected Odyssey Angel group is Recycled Relief from New Jersey! The group created fidget toys out of recycled materials and placed them in places where people may feel stress or anxiety such as schools or doctor’s offices. Their project combined repurposing materials with the goal of supporting mental health.
“Recycled Relief is an organization dedicated to creating products that support individuals struggling with mental health issues while simultaneously addressing the growing landfill crisis. We aim to break the stigma surrounding mental health through education and advocacy. Our team handcrafts fidget toys using repurposed materials such as bottle caps, necklaces, bracelets, etc which we then assemble into baskets of toys,” said the group.
The baskets they created were strategically placed in locations where people may experience anxiety, such as doctor’s offices, hospitals, libraries, and community centers. Each fidget toy was presented in a goodie bag that contained a unique, handwritten note from volunteers of all ages. Additionally, each bag included a QR code that linked to our YouTube channel, where we post weekly videos featuring professionals discussing their mental health challenges and sharing techniques for overcoming them.
“Our platform provides comprehensive resources for individuals dealing with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression and also tackles the issues of excessive consumption. Through our YouTube channel, social media pages, and website, we offer valuable information on mental health, the landfill crisis, the locations of our baskets throughout New Jersey, and much more,” said the group.
The group held a volunteer session where over 100 individuals gathered and created over 120 fidget toys and customized messages. The volunteers were in small groups and assisted by the group’s advisor, Mr. Benny Parekkadan, who created all sorts of fidget toys using recycled materials. The experience was a resounding success, with students eagerly waiting to see their work do some good for the community. It also attracted media attention, and they were featured in a local news story. In addition, a local elementary school reached out asking to organize a second volunteer day with students, onboarding younger generations to join the cause. 
“We hope to continue expanding our reach and distributing baskets to as many individuals in need as we can. We hope to reduce trash by one fidget toy at a time, and help others who may need even the slightest pick-me-up in their day!” 
Congratulations to Recycled Relief members Sanya, Isabel, Smayan, Daya, Siya, Ragha and Jenna!