Early Childhood Majors Donate 580 Stuffed Animals to American Red Cross

Article by: Melinda Eddleman

For a young child, experiencing a house fire, tornado or even a hurricane can leave their family turned upside down and the need for some form of comfort for those younger family members. The American Red Cross provides some emotional relief by giving children stuffed animals to help ease their anxiety.

Del Mar College (DMC) Early Childhood majors donated 580 soft, stuffed toys––including teddy bears and other lovable critters, big and small––to the American Red Cross Coastal Bend-Texas Chapter. DMC students spent part of the spring semester collecting the furry friends from across the College’s campus community as part of their Ninth Annual Teddy Bear Drive.

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Hurricane Harvey's destructive path in the Coastal Bend community made this year's Teddy Bear Drive more meaningful for our Early Childhood students. Natural disasters, like the hurricane, leave families and children with little resources, so the comfort of a favorite stuffed animal is our way is giving a hug to a child in need.

Benita Flores-Muñoz, Associate Professor of Child Development/Early Childhood

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Delivery took place April 3 with students delivering their special passengers to the American Red Cross facility on South Brownlee.

Teddy Bear Drive 2018_delivery at American Red Cross

DMC Early Childhood majors and faculty pose with local American Red Cross representatives as part of the delivery of 580 stuffed animals collected during the Ninth Annual Teddy Bear Drive. (Credit: Del Mar College Office of College Relations)

Stuffed Monkey_DMC Ninth Annual Teddy Bear Drive

Early Childhood majors spent part of their spring semester collecting stuffed animals to donate to the Amercan Red Cross, including critters like monkeys, teddy bears, rabbits and more. (Credit: Del Mar College Office of College Relations)

Boxes of Loveable Stuffed Toys_2018 DMC Teddy Bear Drive

Boxes of stuffed animlas wait for transport to the local American Red Cross to give to young children who have experienced traumatic events like Hurricane Harvey. The donation is the Early Childhood Program's way of giving back to the community through their annual teddy bear drive. (Credit: Del Mar College Office of College Relations)

Students began collecting stuffed animals in 2009 as a community service project. With this year’s collection, the College will have donated over 6,100 stuffed animals to the American Red Cross since beginning the annual drive.

About Del Mar College

Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.