Father creates crayons for children with special needs

Yes, these two are ready to get this launched in PDX.

San Francisco, Calif.- What happens to the crayons on tables in restaurants after children are done using them? One San Francisco father wanted to find out, and he wasn't too pleased with the results.

After enjoying a dinner out with his wife and two sons, Bryan Ware asked a restaurant employee what happened to the crayons. The waitress informed him that they threw them out.

"I wondered, 'What happens to these crayons after we leave if we don't take them with us," Ware told The Mighty.

Instead of throwing old crayons, Ware came up with a better way to recycle them. The Crayon Initiative was born.

Ware collects old crayons from restaurants, schools, and donations. Then he melts them down, re-molds them, and gives them to hospitals.

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By the look of it, you would think we were in the condiment business! Melted crayons are so beautifully pure! #recyclecrayons #shareyourcolors

Ware told The Mighty that his crayons are larger than normal to help children with special needs grip them more easily.

He also says that he hopes these crayons will help children communicate artistically, in ways they might not be able to verbally.

"From my perspective," he told The Mighty. "I can't even fathom what these kids are going through. If these crayons give them an escape from that hospital room for ten minutes, we did our job."