Operation Teddy Bear
Posted by Donn Ennis
On behalf of Operation Teddy Bear and the South Bay Volunteer Center, I would like to thank you all for your help with distribution of the backpacks and reading to your class this morning. I hope that you all enjoyed it. I know the kids had a great day. I went back over at lunchtime to collect the surveys and the kids were all running around with the backpacks and their new books and showing them to all their friends. - Dennis Ridge
5,600 of the most disadvantaged first-graders at Title One elementary schools located in southwest Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles Unified School District reports that 74.3% of its enrolled students live at or below the poverty line and the Long Beach Unified School District reports 72.1%. Poverty causes many of these Title One students to arrive at school without adequate educational supplies, clothes and food to begin their day. These circumstances create special needs in the areas of education, literacy and self esteem.
Operation Teddy Bear® helps to address these issues by giving literacy backpacks to 5,600 children in Title One schools. The program takes place every December and is funded entirely by donations from individuals, corporations and foundations. Each brightly colored backpack includes items such as reading books, a toothbrush, math flash cards, reading flash cards, money workbooks, play money, activity books, crayons, coloring books, learning clocks, rulers, card games and Teddy Bears. When backpacks are delivered to a classroom, volunteers also take the time to sit and read stories to the children.