ST. LOUIS, April 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third
consecutive year, Build-A-Bear® and the American Red Cross are
partnering to provide bear hugs to families when disaster strikes.
The American Red Cross will receive a donation from Build-A-Bear of
several thousand furry friends, which the Red Cross organization
will distribute during disaster-relief operations throughout the
year. Additionally, from May 2 through May
29, Guests of Build-A-Bear Workshop® can donate to the
nonprofit organization at checkout in stores and online. All
donations will go directly to the American Red Cross to help
support children of families recovering from disasters. To kick off
the 2019 campaign, Build-A-Bear Workshop is hosting a "Stuffed With
Hugs®" event at all U.S. stores on Saturday,
May 4, during which Guests can make furry friends free of
charge to be donated to the Red Cross.
"Thanks to our partners at the Red Cross, who make sure critical
needs are met first—and our generous Guests—thousands of children
and families will have the hug of a teddy bear to help comfort them
in the wake of an unfortunate event," said Sharon Price John, president and chief executive
officer, Build-A-Bear Workshop. "We invite Guests across the
country to once again join us to make bears for families in crisis,
in the spirit of the Build-A-Bear mission to add a little more
heart to life."
Last year, Red Cross disaster workers—90 percent of whom were
volunteers—helped millions of people during the second consecutive
year of a record number of wildfires, hurricanes and other large
crises—all while responding day and night to home fires in
communities across the country.
"Every eight minutes in the U.S., disasters big and small occur,
and families often lose all of their belongings, including keepsake
items and children's toys," said Brad
Kieserman, vice president, Disaster Services Operations and
Logistics at the American Red Cross. "The Red Cross is honored to
continue to partner with Build-A-Bear in an effort to give teddy
bears to children in distress and offer a little comfort as
families begin to rebuild their lives."
All Build-A-Bear furry friends made during the May 4 "Stuffed with Hugs" event will be allocated
to five Red Cross Disaster Field Supply Centers in Reno, Nev.; St.
Louis, Mo.; Carlisle,
Penn.; Atlanta, Ga.; and
Dallas, Texas, from which the
organization can quickly access and distribute to children as needs
arise.
Once again, Build-A-Bear Workshop is expanding the partnership
and "Stuffed With Hugs" event on a global scale. In 2019,
Build-A-Bear will also donate teddy bears to the Irish Red Cross
and will host events at the Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in
Dublin on May 11, where Guests can help make bears that
will be donated to children served by the organization.
For more information about Build-A-Bear Foundation and the
company's charitable giving efforts, visit
buildabear.com/giving.
About Build-A-Bear®
Build-A-Bear® is a global brand
kids love and parents trust that seeks to add a little more heart
to life. Build-A-Bear Workshop has over 450 stores worldwide where
Guests can create customizable furry friends, including
corporately-managed stores in the United
States, Canada,
China, Denmark, Ireland, Puerto
Rico, and the United
Kingdom, and franchise stores in Africa, Asia,
Australia, Europe, Mexico and the Middle East. Buildabear.com is the online
destination for unique furry-friend gifts, featuring
The-Bear-Builder™, a shopping configurator that helps create
customized gift options. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW)
posted total revenue of $336.6
million in fiscal 2018.
About Build-A-Bear Foundation™
Build-A-Bear® believes in the power of hugs and the
simple comfort of having a furry friend by your side. The mission
of Build-A-Bear Foundation™ is to add a little more
heart to life by sharing hugs and making days a little bit
brighter for those in need. Since 1997, Build-A-Bear has donated
nearly $50 million to a variety of organizations and in a
number of ways. Build-A-Bear Foundation supports nonprofit
organizations and registered charities that are doing good work in
the communities where our Guests and associates live, work and
play. For more information, visit buildabear.com/giving.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross
shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of
disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches
skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid;
and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is
a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the
generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more
information, please
visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or
visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
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