In celebration of National Teddy Bear Day on September 9, Build-A-Bear Foundation partnered with The Toy Foundation™ (TTF) to make sure children in greatest need receive a furry friend and experience the comfort and joy it provides. Build-A-Bear Foundation donated $10,000 to TTF’s Children’s Hospital Play Grants program, plus 5,000 teddy bears to TTF’s Toy Bank.

 

"For more than a quarter century, Build-A-Bear has been driven by an impassioned belief in the importance of the comfort and companionship provided by furry friends, as the company was largely inspired by the love founder Maxine Clark had for her own childhood teddy bear," said Sharon Price John, President & CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop. "National Teddy Bear Day highlights the joy and nostalgia of our teddy bears, which have become integral to countless milestones, from starting a new school year to announcing a new baby. Understanding this impact, we have remained committed to expanding access to teddy bears with efforts like our National Teddy Bear Day promotions, our on-going Count Your Candles Birthday Treat program, and charitable donations of thousands of furry friends to children in need.”

 

The donation from Build-A-Bear Foundation supports TTF’s Children’s Hospital program. Grants from the program help children’s hospitals in economically disadvantaged communities integrate play therapy into their care plans and protocols. Play is a proven tool to improve patient care and help children heal more effectively. In the past four years, TTF’s program has improved care for more than 500,000 children and families. Support from industry leaders, like Build-A-Bear, is critical to providing this, otherwise unfunded, tool to more hospitals and more children.

 

The teddy bears will be distributed through TTF’s Toy Bank program to children’s hospitals and nonprofit organizations nationwide. TTF’s Toy Bank reaches more than 3,000 hospitals and nonprofit partners. This year alone, Toy Bank has delivered nearly $25 million worth of toys to children in need. Build-A-Bear Foundation’s teddy bear donation is a perfect complement to the company’s support of the Children’s Hospital program. Toys are an essential tool to easing children’s anxiety, incentivizing cooperation, and provide some entertainment and fun in a scary environment.

 

“Every child should experience the extraordinary benefits of play. We’re grateful for partners like Build-A-Bear Foundation who help us deliver play to the children who need it most, support their emotional and physical development, and help them thrive,” said Pamela Mastrota, executive director of TTF.

 

The donation from Build-A-Bear Foundation represents a component of its 2024 goal to provide 100,000 teddy bears to children by the end of the year. Since 1997, Build-A-Bear has donated more than $22 million and 2 million furry friends to charitable causes around the world.

 

TTF provides philanthropic opportunities for small, medium, and large companies across its three program areas – The Toy Bank, Children’s Hospital Play Grants, and Talent Pipeline Program – in a manner that supports the individual company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives and unites the industry’s collective philanthropy to create a greater impact on children in need.

 

To learn more and get involved, visit ToyFoundation.org or contact TTF staff.