Our History

One Act of Kindness Can Light the Way

JollyBox Global was founded by photographer and philanthropist Madeline Arenas with a simple belief: kindness should have no borders.

In 2014, Madeline began outreach for survivors of Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, where she witnessed tribal students unable to stay in school due to lack of funding.

Everything changed when she saw a social media post mocking a tribal student selling crops with a misspelled sign. Where others saw ridicule, Madeline — as an advocate, saw resilience and took action.

By 2017, that action became a family of volunteers. Together, we raise funds and awareness to keep Indigenous students in school in remote Philippines, helping increase enrollment in rural elementary schools we serve.

In 2026, we reached a milestone: supporting over 3,000 students.

Our impact has grown:

• Collecting books and fundraising for Indigenous students and children with cancer in the Philippines
• Served 2025 wildfire survivors in Southern California, unhoused individuals in Downtown LA, and domestic violence survivors in Los Angeles shelters
• In 2025 Reunited two unhoused elderly individuals in LA with their families in the Philippines with assistance from the Philippine Embassy

Even through profound hardship — leading our 5-Volunteer Board of Directors (Josette Bajit, John Atienza, Raquel Malibiran, Jucevi Virtudes, and Zedrik Arcilla) while caring for her husband through 11 months of lung cancer until his passing on July 2, 2026, and then surviving sepsis herself a week later — Madeline continues to lead from recovery, proving that service never stops.

JollyBox Global is proof that one person's kindness can light the way for many.