BLOG ARCHIVE | Industrial Strength Meets Soft and Cuddly

Written by Karina Kedaitis

Worldwide’s headquarters resides in Romeoville, Illinois – not far from Joliet and its long list of shelters, halfway homes, and supportive housing.  Compelled by these people in need being so close to home, Worldwide's staff teamed up in hopes of paying it forward to the community which has grown to become home over the past decade or so. 

The idea to donate stuffed animals was sparked by the internet naming September 9^th as “National Teddy Bear Day.” Worldwide’s marketing team discussed holding a short donation drive to collect teddy bears for a cause- of which was still undecided.  Guardian Angel Community Services appeared on their radar and the idea evolved to include any kind of stuffed animal, not just teddy bears, as a donation to the children involved in this local agency.

Guardian Angel Community Services sits in the heart of downtown Joliet, where the agency works around the clock to see that any woman or child escaping abuse has a safe place to retreat to, recover, and rebuild their lives. Although Guardian Angel is now a rather large agency, it still relies heavily on donations and volunteers to continue making the level of impact that they currently make on the community. 

Their efforts involving children could range anywhere from foster care, to abuse recovery and transitional housing. Many children in these programs show up in an emergency situation with their mothers and may not have much of anything at all. 

While stuffed animals may seem like an insignificant part of these victims’ lives, the Worldwide team responded enthusiastically to this call to action. For some, it seemed like a no-brainer – a chance to get rid of some clutter from their kids’ toy stash and give it a second life in hopes to comfort someone else. Others took a special trip to the store just for the occasion.  Regardless of how or why each furry little friend made it to the collection baskets, they all left with a greater mission.

Over the course of a few weeks, the staff collected about 50 stuffed animals for their donation to the agency. It is their hope that these stuffed animals will provide roughly 50 children with a smile, countless hugs, and comfort through these challenging chapters of life and for years to come!

For more information about Guardian Angel Community Services, visit www.gacsprograms.org.