A Vermont organization that sends stuffed animals to children in disaster areas and war zones is putting together a package of its signature creature comforts for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.
The Teddy Bear Project, created by South Burlington peace advocate Nina Meyerhof, is raising funds for a March bear drop. Depending on how much money it can muster, the group aims to deliver 500 to 700 stuffed teddy bears to children affected by the fires. Donations will help the nonprofit purchase the bears and cover costs associated with delivery.
Meyerhof says she plans to bring the cuddly gifts to a children’s museum in Santa Monica. She and two other volunteers also plan to hand out bears in Altadena, an area that took the brunt of the Eaton Fire, which killed 17 people and damaged thousands of structures.
The Teddy Bear Project will host kids’ activities in downtown Stowe on Sunday, February 16, to raise money for its effort, self-identified “peace warrior” Michael Dolson said. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., families can partake in a “duck derby,” “duck cornhole” and more on the lawn next to Black Cap Coffee & Bakery on Sunset Street. The event will take place under tents in case of rain or snow.
Meyerhof, who founded the nonprofit Children of the Earth, first discovered the healing potential of stuffed animals after 9/11, when she delivered bears to relatives of the missing.
“The children had something to hold onto,” she said. “Mothers seemed to relax a bit because they saw a child happy.”
Most recently, the group has delivered bears to Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and Asheville, N.C., organizers said.
The group’s gesture of emotional support to California fire victims will be coupled with a delivery of material goods for parents, as well. The global products retailer Nusantara, located in the Essex Experience, has donated about 1,000 articles of adult clothing, Meyerhof said.
The Teddy Bear Project also accepts donations online at teddybearproject.org.
Correction, February 13, 2025. This post has been updated to note that February 16 is a Sunday.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Care Bears”
This article appears in Love & Marriage Issue 2025.
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