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BUDDY BEAR PATROL®
Buddy Bear Patrol is one of nine philanthropic programs of Assistance League of Albuquerque. Buddy Bear Patrol, born in 1992 in Albuquerque, was named after our own Assistance League of Albuquerque, President Buddy Rollag. The program is in chapters nationwide. More than 50,000 stuffed bears, with their Assistance League T-shirts, have been distributed to over 35 agencies, among which are the Albuquerque Police and Fire and Rescue departments, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department, CYFD, and UNMH Children’s Hospital in Albuquerque.
These furry little critters have helped more than 50,000 traumatized children suffering from domestic violence, severe illness, death, fires, parental incarceration, separation anxiety, and other horrific situations. Buddy Bears have changed countless tears into smiles, and despair into hope.
This year we are celebrating our 30th anniversary of Buddy Bear Patrol. With your help, we can expand this program and continue turning a small child’s tears into a smile from ear to ear! Please give from your heart to bless a small child’s life.
Testimonials:
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department commissioned and has on display a beautiful bronze statue as a testament to the power and love of this program at their Command Center on Fourth Street.
One child asked if it was possible to be given a different stuffed animal because they already had seven of the bears due to the repetitive number of traumatic situations that they had suffered through.
One young middle school boy, who tried to present himself as being very tough and unapproachable was seen carrying a Buddy Bear at school one day. When asked why he carried the bear, he responded that when he was given it, he felt loved and that someone cared about him for the very first time in his life.
A young woman received a Buddy Bear when she was suffering a traumatic situation as a young girl. She always kept it until the little girl next door to her was dying from a severe illness. She took the bear over to her to bring her the same amount of comfort and hope that the bear had given to her initially. The little girl’s mother buried the bear with her daughter when she passed away.
A father was left with seven children to raise and care for when his wife passed away from cancer. All the children were under the age of ten. He asked if we would give each of his children a bear to bring a little bit of happiness into their lives.