How it works
Three groups of people. One ridiculously simple idea.
For Makers
You have a 3D printer. Maybe it's an Ender 3, maybe it's a Bambu. Doesn't matter. If it can print, you can help.
Sign up and tell us about your setup
What printer you have, what materials you work with, what you're comfortable making. Link your MakerWorld or Printables profile if you have one.
Browse the request board
See real requests from real families and hospital staff. Each one tells you about the kid, what they're into, and what they'd love to get.
Claim a request
Found one that matches your skills? Claim it. It's yours. No one else will grab it.
Print it
Use your own filament, your own designs (or find one on MakerWorld/Printables/Thingiverse). Make something great.
Ship it or deliver it in person
Mail it to the family — or, if the request is at a hospital near you, coordinate an in-person visit through their volunteer program.
For Families
Your kid is going through something — maybe they're in the hospital, maybe they're dealing with something tough at home. Either way, they could use a win.
Submit a request
Tell us your kid's name, age, and what they're into. Dinosaurs? Pokémon? Fidget toys? Articulated dragons? We'll match them with a maker who can build it.
We review it
Every request gets a quick review to make sure it's something our makers can reasonably print. This usually takes a day or two.
A maker claims it
Your request goes up on our maker board. A maker near you (or anywhere, for mail delivery) sees it and says 'I've got this.'
Your kid gets something cool
Shipped to your door or delivered in person at the hospital. Either way, it was made by a real person who wanted to help.
For Hospital Staff
Nurses, child life specialists, social workers — you see these kids every day. You know who needs a boost. You can request on their behalf.
Create a staff account
Tell us which hospital you work at, your role, and your contact info. We verify hospital staff accounts to keep things secure.
Submit requests for kids in your ward
You know them best. Tell us what they'd love. You can submit multiple requests — one per kid.
Coordinate delivery
You're the point of contact for in-person deliveries. Makers coordinate with you, and you clear it through your hospital's volunteer program.
The lifecycle of a request
Every request follows the same path. Simple, transparent, trackable.
About in-person delivery
This is the Patch Adams part. A maker showing up during visiting hours with something they printed themselves — that's the dream. And it's totally doable.
Here's how it works: if a family or hospital staff member selects “in-person delivery” as their preference, and a local maker claims the request, we connect them with the hospital staff contact.
The hospital controls access. Every in-person visit goes through the hospital's own volunteer program. The maker coordinates with staff, follows the hospital's rules, and shows up when it works for everyone. We facilitate the connection — the hospital keeps everyone safe.
This keeps kids protected, keeps the platform legally clean, and still makes that magic moment possible. Win-win-win.
Questions people ask
Is this free?
Completely. Families never pay anything. Makers donate their time and materials. If you want to help cover filament and shipping costs, you can donate — but requesting a print is always free.
Who reviews requests?
Jake does, personally. Every request gets reviewed to make sure it's something our makers can reasonably print and that the request is genuine. Most get approved within a day or two.
How long does it take?
From submission to delivery, usually 1-3 weeks. Review takes a day or two, then a maker claims it and prints it (a few days), then it ships. Faster if someone local does an in-person delivery.
Can I choose what I make?
Absolutely. As a maker, you browse the request board and only claim what you want to make. If a kid wants an articulated dragon and that's your jam, go for it. If you only make fidget toys, that's perfect too.
What if I want to deliver in person?
We love that. When you claim a request marked for in-person delivery, we connect you with the hospital staff contact. They'll walk you through their volunteer process — it's usually pretty straightforward. You show up during visiting hours with your print, and you make someone's day.
Ready?