High Risk Families Find Comfort in Teddy Bears

“Oh, how adorable!”

If grown-ups like Susan Francis love teddy bears this much, then so will the kids!

Jack Williams from the Desert Outreach Foundation delivers these boxes of furry creatures every year to groups that deal with high risk households.

“What could we do that might bring a smile to a child’s face? And we thought…cuddly bears!” said Williams.

A family support specialist at the Healthy Family Foundation says the bears bring comfort to children.

“It’s something that’s theirs,” she said. “They can bring it to bed or wherever they want to. It’s about safety.”

It turns out some parents appreciate the bears, too.

“Sometimes, mom is a teenager dealing with difficult issues that she’s not equipped to deal with,” explained Francis, executive director of Healthy Family Foundation. “Sometimes, the mom just wants to cuddle the teddy bear.”

The bear program has become popular over the years. When it first started in 2001, the foundation would order about 1000 bears and have 700 remaining. Nowadays, if the foundation orders 1000, it can’t even keep one on the shelf.

The foundation’s fundraisers help pay for the bears. Williams says the foundation would be more than happy to give out more if only they could raise enough money. He will continue delivering bears this week to police departments and hospitals.

Hopefully, soon enough, troubled families throughout the Coachella Valley may find some peace with the “bear” necessities.

For more information about the Desert Outreach Foundation, go to http://www.desertoutreachfoundation.org