Build-A-Bear Foundation to Provide "Learning
Buddies" to Children and Classrooms in Need
ST.
LOUIS, Sept. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In
celebration of National Teddy Bear Day on September 9, Build-A-Bear Workshop and the
Build-A-Bear Foundation continue their longstanding commitment to
children and childhood literacy with a special one-day promotion
providing guests an opportunity to participate in a "Buy a Bear,
Give a Bear" program. For every furry friend purchased in
Build-A-Bear Workshops and online on National Teddy Bear Day, a
reciprocal furry friend will be donated by Build-A-Bear and
distributed by Build-A-Bear Foundation to a child or a classroom in
need, with a goal of providing at least 50,000 fuzzy hugs.
Build-A-Bear celebrates National Teddy Bear
Day with "Buy A Bear, Give A Bear" special promotion on September
9.
The National Teddy Bear Day initiative coincides with the 2023
back-to-school season, offering an opportunity to equip students,
teachers, and families with a new educational resource. Research
has indicated the positive influence of stuffed animals in a
learning setting, including an improvement and excitement for
reading1. Teachers have cited additional benefits that
include fostering community, encouraging good behavior, and
building confidence.2
Aligned with its core focus of advancing childhood literacy,
Build-A-Bear Foundation is proud to continue its collaboration with
non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting children and
educators in need. Last year Build-A-Bear Foundation donated an
impressive 20,000 teddy bears to serve as "reading buddies" in
Title I schools. Build-A-Bear Foundation expects to surpass that
benchmark with this year's impact of the "Buy a Bear, Give a Bear"
event.
"At Build-A-Bear, we add a little more heart to life with
everything we do," said Sharon Price
John, President and Chief Executive Officer of Build-A-Bear.
"The 'Buy a Bear, Give a Bear' initiative on National Teddy Bear
Day, furthers our commitment to giving back and making a positive
impact on the community with our cherished teddy bears that have
brought many smiles, hugs and comfort in our 25 year history. Furry
reading companions play a powerful role in promoting education,
comfort, and emotional well-being for children."
"The importance of education and reading in shaping a child's
future success, both in school and beyond, needs to be prioritized.
It is up to all of us to take active steps to support literacy
efforts and contribute to the betterment of children's education,"
said Chris Hurt, President of
Build-A-Bear Foundation. "The 'Buy a Bear, Give a Bear' program has
the potential to make a positive impact on many, many children's
lives by fostering a love for reading and learning from an early
age."
To participate in the National Teddy Bear Day promotion, guests
can visit any Build-A-Bear Workshop location or BuildABear.com to
make a furry friend of their choosing. With each purchase, a
corresponding teddy bear will be donated to the Build-A-Bear
Foundation, which will oversee the distribution to children and
classrooms in need. For more comprehensive details on this year's
National Teddy Bear Day, please visit National Teddy Bear Day 2023
Celebration at Build-A-Bear® (buildabear.com).
For each make-your-own furry friend sold on National Teddy
Bear Day, Build-A-Bear will donate a furry friend (retail value
$20.00USD) to Build-A-Bear Foundation
to benefit literacy programs and children in need. Maximum donation
of 50,000 furry friends ($1,000,000USD). Valid September 9, 2023 only. Build-A-Bear Foundation,
415 S. 18th Street, Suite 200, St Louis,
MO 63103, 314-423-8000
ABOUT BUILD-A-BEAR FOUNDATION
Build-A-Bear Foundation
adds a little more heart to life by sharing hugs, inspiring
creativity, and supporting those in need. A 501(c)3 organization,
Build-A-Bear Foundation's core focus is to support children's
literacy programs as a path to social and educational equity.
Build-A-Bear Foundation also provides financial and furry friend
donations to organizations that support children's health and
wellness, disaster relief, and families in need of essential
supplies. Since 1997, Build-A-Bear has donated more than $22
million and 1.5 million furry friends to charitable causes around
the world. For more information, please visit
www.buildabearfoundation.org.
About Build-A-Bear®
Build-A-Bear is a
multi-generational global brand focused on its mission to "add a
little more heart to life" appealing to a wide array of consumer
groups who enjoy the personal expression in making their own "furry
friends" to celebrate and commemorate life moments. Nearly 500
interactive brick-and-mortar experience locations operated through
a variety of formats provide guests of all ages a hands-on
entertaining experience, which often fosters a lasting and
emotional brand connection. The company also offers engaging
e-commerce/digital purchasing experiences on buildabear.com
including its online "Bear-Builder", the animated "Bear Builder 3D
Workshop" and its age-gated, adult-focused "Bear Cave". In
addition, extending its brand power beyond retail, Build-A-Bear
Entertainment, a subsidiary of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., is
dedicated to creating engaging content for kids and adults that
fulfills the company's mission, while the company also offers
products at wholesale and in non-plush consumer categories via
licensing agreements with leading manufacturers. Build-A-Bear
Workshop, Inc. posted total revenue of $467.9 million in fiscal 2022. For more
information, visit the Investor Relations section of
buildabear.com.
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5333530/
2 http://www.WeAreTeachers.com
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SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop