I know from experience that anyone trying to donate gently used stuffed animals finds it almost impossible to locate an organization that will take them.
I was unable to find such an organization in our area for the many stuffed animals that my daughter collected over the years, although most of them were in mint condition. Fortunately, through the Internet I found Loving Hugs.
This organization collects new and gently used stuffed animals for distribution to children in hospitals, orphanages and refugee camps in countries devastated by war, natural disasters and poverty. It was founded in 2007 by Wendy Clark after she received a letter from a soldier serving in Iraq. She calls the animals “hugs” and they are professionally cleaned prior to donation. You can ship your “hugs” to Loving Hugs in Littleton, Colorado via any shipping company but Loving Hugs offers a discounted rate through UPS.
Anyone with gently used stuffies to donate can find Loving Hugs on the Internet at www.lovinghugs.com, including additional information about the organization and complete instructions. Their phone number is 303-948-0552. The photos alone of the children with their “hugs” are worth a million words.
Christine Mullaney
