Hug-Stuffed bears to comfort kids at UCSF Children's hospital

Children who visit the Bay Area’s three Build-A-Bear Workshop stores will get a chance to give extra comfort to their peers in the hospital thanks to the third annual Stuffed With Hugs event. The first 200 visitors to each store will get to make a bear for free. The bears will be donated to UCSF Children’s Hospital, part of UCSF Medical Center, where parents bring their children from throughout Northern California for treatment of complex medical conditions. Some bears will be given to children who need an extra hug, and some will appear in Teddy Bear Clinics in the hospital playroom, where young patients and siblings become the doctors and show what they’ve learned from their caregivers about good medicine and good care.

At the Stuffed With Hugs events, Build-A-Bear Workshop mascot “Bearemy” will be on hand to help stuff and fluff the bears.

EVENT:  Build-A-Bear Workshops

DATE:  Saturday, May 17, beginning at 10 a.m.

LOCATIONS: (1) San Francisco Centre 865 Market at Fifth Street, San Francisco (415) 546-5119 (Representatives from UCSF Children’s Hospital will be on-site at San Francisco Centre from 10 a.m. to Noon)

(2) Valley Fair Mall, 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara (408) 248-9988

(3) Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek (925) 946-4697

Stuffed With Hugs is a national effort by Build-A-Bear Workshop to provide teddy bears to children in need of an “extra” hug.  Since the inception of the Stuffed With Hugs program in 2001, over 50,000 bears have been made and donated with love to and by children. This year’s event will coincide with the introduction of Nikki’s Bear, a bear created to increase awareness and raise money for children’s cancer. 

For more information about Build-A-Bear Workshop contact: Jill Saunders, 314-423-8000 Ex 5293; [email protected]; Casey Kershner, 816-512-9181 [email protected] or April Reins,  816-512-9414; [email protected]

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