Teddy Bears bring the smiles to homeless kids in Dallas
DALLAS — There's just something magical about handing a kid a teddy bear that's just for them.
Now, these kids are even able to hug a life-sized bear.
Seeing the smiles can melt even the iciest of hearts.
Especially when you find out these kids have all dealt with the experiences and trauma of homelessness, about half are homeless right now. But tonight, they'll have something special with them.
"We have a book and a bear that will greet a homeless child on beds when they walk into a shelter setting," said Bob Sweeny, the executive director of Dallas Life, a homeless recovery center.
He wrote a book for kids going through homelessness.
Each kid gets a bear and a book. The book acts as a guide for the kids while they stay at a shelter.
"Teddy says, 'I've been on the bed waiting for you all day," said Sweeny, "It gives that child an opportunity to have a friend, a comrade someone to walk through the trauma with."
Homelessness for kids under 18 is a severe issue in the metroplex. Dallas ISD says that more than 3,900 kids will experience homelessness in a year. In Tarrant County, it's almost 1300 kids a year.
"There's 2.5 million homeless children in America, so we're doing our best at Teddy Cares to try and reach out to those that need us the most and love them, one kiddo at a time," said Sweeny.
If you want to sponsor a bear and a book for a child experiencing homelessness you can visit teddycares.org.
