Every child deserves a teddy bear to hug when the world gets too painful, lonely or sad. Teddy bears are there to watch over them when the dark is too spooky, they need a best friend or their lives become unstable. There are many charitable organizations out there and they are all working toward the same goal, to put a teddy bear into the arms of a deserving child.

The Vermont Teddy Bear Company started the Big Hero, Little Hero Program in September of 2002, to give children across the country a teddy bear to hug when they need one the most. More than 11 million children are transported by emergency services each year. The Vermont Teddy bear company and outside donations, provide specially designed, 13″ teddy bears to provided to emergency service professionals around the country free of charge. Interested parties can participate in this charity by purchasing one of the specially made bears. For every bear bought, The Vermont Teddy Bear Company will donate two bears to an emergency service station in need. These bears are also given to lonely seniors.

The Inland Hospital in Maine, was donated 600 teddy bears to give to children who come in for tests, illness, trauma or with other patients. Thorndike press, located just down the road from Inland Hospital, was able to buy the bears with money earned from a silent auction, bake sales and other activities. The decision for Thorndike to donate the bears was reached after a younger sister of one of the employees was given a bear when she had to attend the hospital.

You may want to start a charitable teddy bear drive in your community, to help put a teddy bear into the arms of every child.

The first step is to recruit others, of like mind, to help you. Let’s face it, this a big undertaking for one person. You may also want to get area schools and churches involved. Elementary school students make great recruits, as the entire class (or school) can work together to make money to purchase the teddy bears. Churches like to get involved in charity, especially when it is for children.

Get together with friends and plan some money making activities. A Bowl-a-thon, walk-a-thon, spaghetti dinner, Pancake Breakfast, Bake Sale, auction, rummage sale, or street carnival are all excellent ways to raise money for your teddy bears. You and your group, will need to set a time limit on donations and money collected. For instance, you may want to have enough money to buy the teddy bears by Christmas. You must also decide before you begin, where you will distribute the bears.

While you are raising the money, you should look around to find the best place to purchase the teddy bears when the money is collected. It is a very rewarding experience to give a teddy bear to a child. The look on their face when they see the soft, cuddly teddy, is worth ten times the effort it takes to get the bear. The first time you see a child grab the toy and hug it tight, will be one of the happiest of your life.