Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The American Red Cross Rhode Island chapter has launched "Operation Bear Hugs," a new program to help families with children displaced by a fire.

"Almost every other day, one of our volunteer teams responds to a house or apartment fire, and in nearly one third of these cases there are children involved." said local Red Cross CEO Bruce Rutter. "It's a traumatic experience.

"Imagine being awakened -- often in the middle of the night -- to the sound of alarms and sirens, your parents pulling you out of bed," Rutter said. "You might not even have time to change out of your pajamas before you're running down stairs and out into the cold of the night. You see the place you call home -- where all your clothes, books, toys and games go up in smoke and flames."

Under the program, a $250 donation provides food, clothing and shelter for a child left homeless by a house fire -- along with a plush teddy bear to comfort the child.

The teddy bear comes with a hand-signed note from the donor. The donor, in turn, will receive a card back from the child.

"People love to sponsor children overseas because they get wonderful letters and drawings from the kids," said Deborah Ashe, director of donor development at the local chapter. "It makes something thousands of miles from here very real. So I thought, why can't we do something like that here?"

To garner donors response, Ashe initially mailed donation requests to 200 of the chapter's most loyal donors, 18 responded.

Individuals and organizations that would like to sponsor a bear should call (401) 831-7700 or send a donation of $250 dollars to the American Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter, 105 Gano St., Providence, R.I. 02906.

 Tags  American Red Cross Operation Bear Hugs Providence RI

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