Witnessing crime or being victim of one, can be very traumatic for children. 7-year-old Noa Grace Welborn knows that and wants to help with stuffed animals.
Noa says she was inspired by a book she found at a yard sale, Belleville News-Democrat reports. She feels kids that have lost something or someone special need a bear.
So, she got her parents to help her out. Her dad setup a GoFundMe page with the goal of receiving funds for making Build-A-Bear stuffed animals for kids in need.
The page was title Bears because I care. It was set up in the end of January 2017 and by early March it had received about $550.
Build-A-Bear heard about the campaign, too. The founder of the company, Maxine Clark, matched the $550 with her own money. She thanked Noa for the hugs she creates. Now her family is aiming to raise $10 000 for the next wave of huggable teddy bear donations.
So far, Noa has made 33 teddy bears. She gave them to the Belleville Police Department. The local police department hasn’t had teddy bears to give out for more than 10 years. Now this changes and the stuffed animals are ready to help. So far none have been given away which is good news. It means there haven’t been crimes around or involving children.
Noa hasn’t been a victim of crime. She was just inspired to help out others. The local community is also pitching in now. The Rightous Pig restaurant in Belleville will donate a portion of purchases made on Sunday April 9 to Bears because I care.
