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Posts: 2Hello,
I am new to this forum and website. 
We have a non profit organization in Israel. We distribute special teddy bears filled with love to those in need of warmth and support. We give away teddy bears in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, to individuals, to victims of terror, cancer patients and many others in great need for support. The idea of our program, Healing Teddies ® is quite an original one. Each teddy bear has hugging instructions and patients who receive them can sense that not only do they have a cuddly friend to hug but that the teddy also has a specific role for their recovery and healing.
Are there any bear collectors who would be interested to contribute a portion of their bears for a truly worthy cause? For us it does not matter which brand the teddy bear is or its value but only if it is given with love and it is sweet and cuddly. Preferably in a non used condition. I can imagine that for a bear collector, his/her bears mean the world to him. But perhaps bear collectors can donate teddy bears which are of a lesser emotional/other value for them.
I like teddy bears as well. However I only collect them for our distribution efforts so that makes me look at teddy bears in a somewhat different way. I found teddy bears to be a great tool to help others. And when one sees that how much joy can a simple 1$ bear bring to a sick child, it's quite an amazing thing.
I would love to hear from you. Please let me know what you think of this and your opinion as far as bear collectors and charitable causes and also if by any chance anyone would like to collect teddy bears for our efforts or donate some teddy bears for a good cause, I'd love to hear from you too. Any replies are welcome.
Thank you!
Ilana
Healing Teddies R.A.
Posts: 8,574Bear artists are among the most generous artists around, however because of the time involved in making a piece of art it would hardly be appropriate for the purpose you have stated, where as toy bears, made appropriately and safely for children to play with, would be.
one option would be to hold a bear collection, and since these would be non art bears, purchasable at any toy outlet, you could include your whole community and not be constrained by the small number of bear artists.
In our country the US, many fire departments and police departments keep child appropriate bears in their vehicles for those emergencies involving children, and pass out the bears in appropriate situations. in my community the bears are supplied by the citizens who participate in the program.
I think you are in Israel? "ZION" and if your communities do not do this perhaps it is something you can get started? Plus there are so many synagogs here in the states as well as Christian churches who are more than happy to help in the support of projects like this. It wpuld most likely require a rabbi or one of the members of your local temple contacting relatives in other parts of the world to see if they could start a program like this.
I agree that what the children in your region are going through must simply be beyond horrific, and I am so sorry. This isn't the place for politics, but just know so many in our country are praying for the innocents on all sides of political conflict.
Shalom
dilu
Posts: 2Thanks for the reply, Bear Treasures. We have indeed received support/bear donations from large bear manufactures. Though not great amount of bears but it sure is helpful. I am writing to more large toy companies in hope they will want to assist us. I never truly have written to Bear artists before so I was not sure if it's a place I should turn to for help. As far as bear collectors, I hope some bear collectors out there would be willing to help as well especially if they collect various types of bears including those suitable for our give aways.
And Shalom Dilu. Thanks for your response and tips. Yes, I am in Israel. There are many children and adults here in great need for supportive teddy bears. We also collect teddy bears in community and I have written to many synagogues worldwide. Some are happy to help. In the US many people have been always generous and helpful. We also send our special teddy bears abroad: Africa, Sri Lanka, Europe and everywhere our warm hugs are needed. At the moment we are making efforts to collect bears for children in Sderot, a southern city in Israel that faces rocket attack from Gaza on a regular basis. Each school in Sderot has a special room called "the silence room" where they can relax, get therapy and some relief. Our goal is to place teddy bears in such rooms so the children have special friends to hug and also give away bears for them to take home.
Anyone who is willing to help, is more then welcome.
With kind regards from Israel
