Why Teddy Bears?
Handmade teddy bears are always a good DIY charity choice. According to research a short face, large forehead and round cheeks are the facial proportions that are the most comforting plush toys. These proportions have become the face of the modern day bear.
Give Handmade Teddy Bears Locally
Plush handmade teddy bears can get bulky. Contact local shelters or children’s hospitals to find out if they are accepting bears. Shipping can get expensive and that’s money you could donate to the charity with your bears.
Domestic Shelters has an extensive list of local shelters in every state including their wish lists. Save on shipping your items and find a location near you for your donations.
What you can make to donate:
Each shelter has different needs. Common items are:
- Personal Care Kits
- Fleece Tie Blankets
- Teddy Bears
- Pillow Cases
- Stuffed Animals
- Backpacks
- Tote Bags
Through our Teddy Bear Brigade program, we collect new and gently used stuffed animals and provide them to children facing natural disasters or living in extreme poverty. On average, we give away 35,000 stuffed animals a year, bringing comfort to children everywhere.
What you can make to donate:
- Stuffed Animals
- Teddy Bears
Project Smile has collected over 44,000 stuffed animals and donated to 200 police and fire departments across the country. They give the stuffed animals to children as a comfort during a crisis.
What you can make to donate:
- Stuffed Animals
- Dolls
- Small Toys
Bev personally makes little stuffed toys for locals in need of a cuddle. She leaves them in a shoe box with a sign. Set up your own Cuddle Box or help Bev fill hers.
What you can make to donate:
- Small stuffed animals and dolls
Samaritan’s Purse is a faith based organization that has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine. Their shoe box project can include many handmade items.
What you can make and donate:
- Drawstring Bags
- Personal Care Kits
- Backpacks
- Totes
- Small Fleece Blankets 1 piece of fleece
- Small Stuffed Animals
- Teddy Bears
Project Night Night donates packages each year to homeless children 12 and under. Each Night Night Package contains a new security blanket, an age-appropriate children’s book, and a stuffed animal — all nestled inside of a new canvas tote bag.
What you can make and donate:
- Stuffed Animals Under 20″
- Teddy Bears
Dolls of Hope sews, collects, and ships teddy bears to children and refugee camps oversees. They provide the patterns free of charge.
What you can make and donate:
- Dolls
- Teddy Bears
Intermountain Foundation Primary Children’s Hospital has been helping children, families, and communities across the western United States for almost 100 years. Our simple philosophy of The Child First and Always®, informs every decision we make, and how we care for patients and families.
What you can make and donate:
- Fleece Blankets
- Dolls
- Teddy Bears
- Hats
- Flannel Blankets
- Quilts
Blankets and Bears provide pillows, blankets and cuddly stuffed animals to children to warm their souls and nurture the mental, physical and spiritual growth of all children.
What you can make to donate:
- Pillowcases
- Stuffed Animals
- Fleece Tie Blankets
- Teddy Bears
The Mother Bear Project is dedicated to providing comfort and hope to children affected by HIV/AIDS in emerging nations, by giving them a gift of love in the form of a hand-knit or crocheted bear.
What you can make to donate:
Threads of Love Ministry provides clothing, blankets and other handmade articles for tiny premature and sick infants.
What you can make to donate:
- Teddy Bears
- Hats
- Blankets
