Show love.
Share a bear hug.
Maybe a #bearhug can help
Hugs heal. Hugs make us happy. They make us feel safe, welcome, connected. There's scientific evidence that hugs make us stronger. Hugs strengthen immune responses and lower stress, improve resilience and slow our heart rates when they're lub-dubbing too fast.
To share a #bearhug with a child means something. It's simple. And maybe it's just a teddy bear - not our real arms that we wish to open to them - but it can help a child feel less scared and know there's someone who cares.
Paulina, age 9, from The Atlantic.
This is Paulina. She's 9.
Paulina wants to be here. She braved a difficult journey to be here. And there's still a lot that lies ahead of her. Because she's new to this place.
When you were new to a place, did you need a hug?
Maybe we can't give Paulina a hug today. Or ask her to be our friend. But we can go into our toy box or to a store and pick out a favorite teddy bear or bunny or lamb that we can share with her. That she can name. And hug when she feels scared or lonely. And squeeze when she wants to feel brave.
And know that somewhere, not so far away, she has a friend who cares about her. Would you be a friend to Paulina? That would be so kind of you.
We see you, Paulina. We want to be your friend.
This is for you.
Let's share a #bearhug with kids like Paulina
This is all about the children. And trying something simple to show them that they are welcome.
Here are some ways we're trying to answer the question we're all asking: "How can I help?"
01.
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We're collecting new & gently-used plush toys to share with the children to offer them some small comfort, from kid to kid, neighbor to neighbor.
02.
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We're writing letters and drawing pictures to welcome refugee & migrant children to our communities.
03.
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Talking about why kindness matters, why we should share our beloved bears and show friendship to a child we may never meet.
04.
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Organizing Bear Drives in our communities to collect more bears to share with the kids & bring more positive attention to their stories.
since 2017, All bears and donations went to the RAICES Texas Children's Program and the Interfaith Welcome Coalition.
as of fall 2025, WE are currently looking for local chicago organizations to partner with.
Thank you for your generosity.
The advocates at RAICES support migrant, refugee and immigrant children and families, including those who've been separated and detained. They thank you all for your kindness and love.
We are grateful to our new friends at the IWC, from whom we received following statement:
"Each Monday, volunteers (at the Interfaith Welcome Coalition backpack ministry) assemble 200-250 backpacks that will be given to the women and children being released from the two detention facilities in South Texas. Seven days a week, volunteers greet and assist these asylum-seeking families when they are dropped off at the bus station and San Antonio airport to begin another long journey to a family member or their sponsor.
We all agree a stuffed animal to hold and hug might lessen the frightened feelings a traumatized child experiences. Here's list of the backpack supplies.
As you can see, we do not have the funding to purchase stuffed animals for each backpack so any you might want to share with our ministry would be greatly appreciated.
WANNA help?
Share a #BEARHUG photo
Host a Bear Drive
