Friday, November 30, 2012

A Home for the Holidays!!

Many Thanks to the Members of the Rotary Club who joined at the Marriott on Miami Beach and helped send these bears to loving homes in the arms of children who need them most. All the bears pictured below were lovingly embraced and adopted by Rotary Club members (some from as far away as Germany!!) and delivered this holiday season with hundreds more just in time!!

They gathered for the Rotary Club Holiday Party


A dazzling night for the bears

Bears happy to be adopted by Rotary Members











Friday, November 9, 2012

Adopt A Bear at Hard Rock Casino


2012 EDISCOVERY
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

With a full day of educational classes, networking and fun, The Legal
Learning Series is presenting it’s final conference for 2012 at the Seminole
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida and Adopt A Bear will have a table
setup for adoptions throughout the day and into the evening for the cocktail party in the networking lounge.


Friday, November 9, 2012
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Back to School Splash at the FALLS

Please come and see us on August 6th and 7th, 2011 for the annual Back to School Splash event hosted by South Florida Parenting.

Lots of great fun, and fantastic shopping deals. We will be raffling off another one of our cute bear students.

Stay tuned for more information.

Yummy Cakes & More

Official Adopt-a-Bear partner Yummy Cakes and More celebrated it's grand opening Saturday Kids - bears- and adults had a blast nibbling on the yummiest cupcakes ever., 12847 sw 42 st.
__
Anne-Sophie Rojas Tallon
Baker/Owner

Yummy Cakes and More
12847 SW 42 St
Miami, Fl 33175
Phone: 305 200 3460
Fax: 1 866 581 2037
Email: yummy@yummycakesandmore.com
Web: http://www.yummycakesandmore.com/

Making the world a sweeter place!!!
www.yummycakesandmore.com
Yummy Cakes, Cookies, Cupcakes, Desserts and more, Miami FL.

Goldman, Naccarato, Vela & Associates, LLC

Judicial Networking Reception supporting Adopt-A-Bear, Wednesday March 30th from 5:30 - 7:30 pm 66 West Flagler Street, Seventh Floor. To make adoption....please go to www.adoptabear.org

Congrats to Judge Abby Cinnamon for winning the raffle!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

A great Kickoff for Christmas!


http://miami.cbslocal.com/2010/12/15/santa-gives-sick-kids-big-bear-hugs/

Monday, July 26, 2010

Pampered Chef Fundraiser for Adopt-A-Bear!

26th July 2010

Christmas in July Party by Kim Heistand!
Stop by - anytime after 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm.
Raffles, Festive Music, Delicious Food & Fun!

Come help Adopt-A-Bear and get some great kitchen
tools and cookware for your Holiday cooking season!

1051 Fairfax Lane
Weston, FL 33326
954-682-9933

Monday, March 8, 2010

Jawan Strader, CBS4 Focus - Bear Hugs 4 Haiti

Please watch the efforts of some very endearing young men who decided hands on in Haiti was their way of helping and getting our teddy bears into the arms of the children.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Local students in Davie stuffed teddy bears for "Bear Hugs 4 Haiti"


http://cbs4.com/video/?id=91945@wfor.dayport.com

News & Views with Elliot Rodriguez




http://cbs4.com/video/?id=90537@wfor.dayport.com

Bear Hugs for Haiti




They have emerged from the rubble, surviving nothing less than hell. But their little eyes and short lives have witnessed more, have lost more, than most of us can imagine.

Bear Hugs for Haiti is now making the pain these little ones from Haiti are enduring a little easier. As they head for and arrive in a new land and life in America, those ready to help them heal--including soldiers, the Red Cross and state child care workers--will now be armed with extra doses of love.

"Bear Hugs for Haiti, that is exactly what we need more of. More bear hugs for children because when these children come into this airport, they have really been traumatized," says Jaqui Colyer, Regional Administrator of the Florida Department of Children and Family Services.

"The Red Cross feeds them, but this feeds their soul," Colyer told CBS4's Michele Gillen. "So that's what I really want to give these children, and because of you this is possible. Thank you very much."

The Adopt-a-Bear campaign is sponsored by CBS4's Neighbors 4 Neighbors.

It's an important cause for Lacy Hoover, chairman of the Herbert Hoover Foundation, which is dedicated to the care and education of children. She immediately agreed to jump start the project. The foundation is donating $10,000 for the first wave of bears.

"If we can do something right now to make it a bit easier to get through this and welcome the children into this country and hopefully a better phase of their life, that becomes incredibly important," said Hoover. "I hope these children get a touch of caring and realize there are people there to help them.

Hoover adds that the concept of the Neighbors 4 Neighbors Adopt-a-Bear campaign--getting teddy bears into the hands of abused, neglected and traumatized children--is one that needs to stay.

"I hope that people jump on this campaign," said Hoover. "This is something that should be a permanent program,and people contribute to this because even beyond these kids in Haiti this is something I think should be a permanent program. (It) can help so many ways in this community and beyond. We are honored do be a part of this."

The effort and support to get the bears into the hands of the youngest earthquake survivors has the support of both mother and son: Colton Hoover Chase, a trustee of the Herbert Hoover Foundation, is encouraging young people to step up to the plate and adopt a bear.

"We have got everybody to get their friends to join," said Colton Hoover. "It's vital for the children's happiness. I think it is the least we can do. From my generation we need to give out a helping hand and show the world that we as a generation care about each other and we want to make each others lives better."

Adding to the rescue of souls, the heroes at UPS are waving shipping costs so more donations can go for more bears.

"The program that Channel 4 has for the bears is so important to the children, and UPS understands that the children are so special,' says Tom O'Malley, Vice President UPS, Air Cargo Latin America.

He met with Gillen and described the passion behind the UPS commitment to Bear Hugs for Haiti.

"And its not just the mental anguish and the physical anguish they are going through, but its something for the heart and UPS wants to be a part of that," said O'Malley.

The effort is setting in motion a grass roots project that will hopefully take on a life of its own.

"I think we all have a responsibility to do what is right. And as people who are much more fortunate than those people in Haiti we have an obligation to help them use Facebook and Twitter, and show your friends you are doing something to help these people. And your friends will show someone, and you never know what could happen. The smallest little action can help save the world. It just starts with yourself," says Colton Hoover.

The men and woman at the Homestead Air Force Base are poised to receive hundreds of more bears Tuesday. Their littlest visitors can be assured of a furry friend to hug.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

The Staff of Westin Hollywood makes Holiday "Bear-able"

Those were the gasps of delicious delight as guests at the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa made their way through the Hollywood hotel's enchanted lobby where this year there are nearly too many smiles to count.

Smiles that grace the face of bears – teddy bears!


On display was a two story 'bear' bedecked totally edible gingerbread house and a sprawling winter wonderland of a bear village which left guests beaming with holiday pride. While this holiday display was amazing, in actuality this unique sugar plum vision was all about helping children.


In a first ever hotel holiday partnership with CBS4's Neighbors 4 Neighbors, the Westin Diplomat Resort signed on to bring attention, and donations, to the Adopt- A- Bear campaign; an effort to put teddy bears in the hands of abused, neglected and traumatized children.

"It's unfortunate but all of us know somebody who is in need and you can't always do something or you want to do something and you don't know how to do it. This is a great opportunity for the Westin Diplomat to give our employees the opportunity to reach back to their own community," said Michelle Shulman, the Weston Diplomat's Public Relations Director who passionately wanted to showcase the Adopt-A-Bear campaign to the Hollywood community and beyond.

The artful masterpiece was an employee driven effort. Staff from all departments of the hotel donated hundreds of hours to build the holiday bear world and design cookies to raise hundreds dollars for donated teddy bears. The bears are handed out by judges and firefighters at a time when budgets for the bears were cut.

The hotel jumped in the help 'rescue' the bears and the scrumptious gingerbread house was the vision of a former White House Chef, Herny Martignago who serves as the Westin Diplomat's Executive Pastry Chef.

"We used 1,500 shingles, all pure ginger dough," he explained to CBS4's Michele Gillen with a beaming smile and heart filled with hope that the effort will touch the lives of many children.

Stephanie Thiboutot, the Westin Diplomat's Pastry Chef, agreed.

"The whole Christmas celebration is about making a child smile and this is a great cause for us to do," said Thiboutot who designed the tempting gingerbread cookies with the face of adorable teddy bear. Employees ate them up, literally, buying and selling thousands of dollars worth of cookies to help the cause.

"Together and to date we have raised over three thousand dollars," said Shulman.

With the help of those donations the Adopt-a-Bear campaign expanded into Hollywood where city fire fighters and rescue personnel said that their trucks would now be stocked with teddy bears for children they meet in the most difficult and dangerous circumstances.

"This is for the children", said Rick Havey, who along with Lt. Kurt Ladwig, know how the bear is more significant than just being a toy. When they first meet the children, they don't forget what they see in their eyes.

"Fear. When you give them the bear they calm down. They know we are friends and it helps them trust us. It helps a lot," said Ladwig.

"Without question we have adopted the Adopt-A- Bear program," said Shulman proudly. "It's so easy to make an impact on a small person's life. We don't understand what it means to be that child in need.'

Taking on the very definition of giving, the staff of the "Diplomat," a fitting name for bear ambassadors, are making a difference for our littlest citizens.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Adopt-a-Bears Winter Gone Wild


Celebrate the holiday season at Winter Gone Wild! on Thursday, December 10, 2009 from 7 PM-10 PM . Miami Metro Zoo is hosting Adopt-A-Bear. Enjoy Wild Lights, Flore de Lisa's Winter Wonderland, holiday music, dancing, complimentary hot chocolate and cookies, and cranberry-infused waters. We are also offering delicious... “Bites for a Buck,” a cash bar, our special blend of snow-tinis, and many more surprises. Raffle winners for each holiday tree will be chosen at the event and announced at 9 PM. Raffle winners for three Holiday Bears will also be announced. You could be our next winner! Donation: $9.95 per ZSF Member and $10.95 per non-member. To Adopt-A-Bear, donation is $10 with $1 given back to the Zoological Society. To purchase raffle tickets, $1.00 each or $3.00 for 5. Help support these great causes and join us for a truly spectacular evening!

Monday, November 23, 2009

A Bears Thanks!


The Capital Grille "A Night of Giving Thanks" was a huge success! We want to thank each and every one of you for attending and sharing the love.

You may view the images by clicking on our photo tab and choosing The Capital Grille event.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Fiesta comes to the Rescue!


God Bless our teddy bear manufacturer, Fiesta Toy for coming to the rescue of 150 teddy bears that they are donating to National Adoption Day on November 20th, 2009.

Our plush, furry friends will be handed to every child that gets adopted at the Miami Children's Museum through Our Kids, the Foster Care organization of Miami Dade County.

Last year, 87 kids were adopted on that single day and this year we are hoping to hand over 150 bears to their new family.

Thank you, Thank you and Thank you, Fiesta!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Holiday Toast & Night of Giving Thanks

The Capital Grille · CBS4 Neighbors 4 Neighbors · Adopt-a-Bear
Invites You to be Our Guest

Join Us For Our 2nd Annual "BEARY" Special Night of Giving Thanks

Our Host The Capital Grille invites you to toast the men and woman on the front lines of rescuing abused, neglected and traumatized children


Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
6:00 - 9:00 PM
The Capital Grille
444 Brickell Avenue, Miami
Cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres

This evening, The Capital Grille family joins CBS4's Michele Gillen in the Neighbors 4 Neighbors community campaign, www.adoptabear.org. This will be an opportunity for guests to meet Michele and help heal abused and abandoned children by adopting a teddy bear.

Please RSVP to events@adoptabear.org
By Invitation Only

Come Adopt-a-Bear and share our holiday thank you to the inspiration behind our campaign, Judge Cindy Lederman and her colleagues of the Miami-Dade Juvenile Court.
This year we welcome our newest family partner, Miami-Dade Fire Chief Herminio Lorenzo and the men and women on his brave team as we pay tribute to the
Ernest Lester Adopt-a-Bear Firefighter Fund.

An enchanted evening sponsored by
The Capital Grille, Southern Wine and Spirits and Bacardi.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Adopt-a-Bear’s invited into The Little Gym's Open House



Kids, Kids, Kids & Bears, Bears, Bears everywhere! Scores of furry friends adopted for abused, neglected and traumatized children.


Just to watch these little kids run around, throw their hands and feet in the air, tumble on the mats and equipment brought smiles to all the faces of our volunteers, staff and parents that attended the Open House of Kendall, Doral and Pembroke Pines on September 12, 2009.

Adopt-a-bear participated by setting up a table with bears, bears and more bears.

Parents, Staff and Owners of the Little Gym donated their time, facilities and even their own money to help spread the word against child abuse. Each location raffled off a teddy bear at the end of the event to a very happy child!


The Little Gym is a wonderful facility that allows children to develop and nurture their motor skills and teach physical fitness while in a loving, caring and safe environment. They have many events and many locations, please be sure to check them out and tell them Adopt-a-Bear sent you!

Thank you again for welcoming us into your home, The Little Gym!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Rock Star Bear Heads to Hollywood!



Makes Surprise Appearance at Gene Simmons 60th Birthday Bash. Delivers message of hope and a kiss to Kiss Legend!



Michele Gillen, Chief Investigative Reporter at WFOR-TV in Miami, couldn’t pass up an invitation to Gene Simmons surprise birthday bash and the opportunity to introduce the Adopt-a-Bear program to Hollywood. The 26 time Emmy award-winning Gillen followed the iconic band Kiss on a landmark road tour and the behind the scenes story won her another gold statue!

Rock star bear was created to share the message of a grass roots effort that provides teddy bears given to abused, neglected and traumatized children. The non profit organization Neighbors4Neighbors supports the Adopt-a-Bear campaign founded by Gillen as budget cuts left judges shelves bare of the teddy bears. Once they were rescued, Adopt-a-Bear stepped in to provide Miami Dade Fire Fighters with the furry creatures to comfort children in their time of need.

Rock star bear was a hit from the moment he left Miami. Even TSA officials couldn’t resist posing with him and sending birthday greetings to Simmons. And once aboard the American Airlines flight, he was invited to the cockpit!





Primped for the Hollywood A-List party, he first stopped by the Hollywood WALK OF FAME

With a VIP pass he was whisked in into the private celebration overflowing with band members, family, friends, paparazzi and TV cameras capturing the night for the Simmons Family Jewels reality show. (Rock Star Bear hopes he doesn’t end up on the cutting room floor.)





Gillen shared the story of Adopt-a-Bear with many party goers and gifted Simmons with a donation of rescued bears in honor of the imprint he’s made on the planet.



The party was hosted by Simmons long time girlfriend, model and actress Shannon Tweed and one of Gene’s best friends, fellow band mate, icon, poet of music, Paul Stanley.



Rock Star Bear is reportedly enjoying the trappings of Hollywood but says the children of South Florida remain in his heart and he will be working to launch the program across America.




Thursday, September 10, 2009

Adopt-a-Bear is Kickin it under the Stars!



The first annual Kickin it under the Stars event hosted by Better Families through Tae Kwon Do took place on Saturday, September 5th at their Martial Arts Studio located at 5754 Bird Rd, Miami, FL 33155.

The event was to create awareness against child abuse and neglect. Lots of fun, music and entertainment by world class champions of the martial arts kept the crowd alive and cheering despite the wet weather of South Miami.

Adopt-a-Bear was invited to participate along with many other sponsers wanting to make a difference in our community. Thank you Karen for allowing us to be a part of your event.



Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The Adopt-a-bear Back to School Splash 09

Saturday, August 8th, 2009

South Florida Parenting and The Falls host Adopt-a-bear at the annual “Back to School Splash” event. A free family fun event that featured kid-friendly activities and entertainment, while ensuring that Miami-Dade residents have the opportunity of taking advantage of special in-store promotions and discounts on back to school supplies and materials.

Adopt-a-Bear couldn’t resist joining in on the fun and offered its own Gummy Bear Fish Bowl Contest which Allen Cockfield won by guessing 1007 Gummy Bears, the closest amount to 1,155 which was the actual number. Allen has now joined our team and is one of our “kids helping kids” volunteers.

Allen Cockfield

With our special thanks going out to our other volunteers, all members of the Kendall Community Church of God (KCCG) Youth Group, Nikki, Toni, Tasha, Samantha, Jordon, AJ, Diane, Luana and Kenny. You looked amazing in your Adopt-a-Bear T-Shirts.

 KCCG Youth Group
Kendall Community Church of God (KCCG) Youth Group

We received many adoptions from the families attending and loved the pictures taken with our bears. To view the images, please follow the link: http://dmaldonado.photobiz.com/cart/%20.

A heartfelt hug to our professional photographer, Dario Maldonado of Prizma Photo who volunteered his time and expertise to the project.

Look for us at our next event on September 12th at The Little Gym in the Kendall Breeze Shopping Center! Thanks Nina.

Nina Feinberg

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Adopt-a-bear to the 911 Rescue! Miami-Dade Fire Fighters to be armed with bears for rescued and traumatized children.


Once upon a time... I was on assignment interviewing firefighters for an investigation into smoke alarms. I asked Lt. Elkin Sirrae of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue about what happens when the fire fighters rescue children from a burning house. These children are often unimaginably traumatized from the fire, and in some tragic cases, have even lost a parent, or witnessed a brother or sister injured.

I learned that –not so long ago - the fire department had teddy bears to give the children, but no longer. As Lt. Sirrae told me, “We take one of the latex gloves the paramedics use and blow it up and draw two eyes and a smile on it. We have to fashion it like a blow up toy to try and bring a smile to the children.”

Stunned, I thought, “we can do better!” While the adopt- a- bear campaign was created to help re-stock the shelves of Juvenile Court so that teddy bears could go to abused and neglected children, I could not resist the sense of obligation to try and help our firefighters and the children they encounter in such a moment of need. And so…Adopt-A-Bear for the Firefighters was born! As good luck would have it, the Metro-Dade Fire Expo was about to be held and our entire team at Adopt-a-bear decided to dedicate the donations of the day to children rescued by the fire fighters. We took lots of pictures, which you can see by clicking on the album right here
Adopt-a-Bear for the Firefighters- photo gallery

Stay tuned for an announcement of when the bears will be formally delivered to the heroes who head into the heat for all of us!

Special recognition: There are people who shine so brightly in life I an in awe of their dedication to help others. Adopt-a-bear wants to celebrate three such people without whom creating the Firefighter branch of Adopt-a-Bear would not be possible. Thanks to Karen Chamberlain, Sr. Regional Account Representative, Merrill Communications and Top Brass Ambassador Brad Schultz, along with our original Sweetheart Bear Ambassador Laura Daulau of Who’s Kickin’ on Sunset.

And a special sweet shout out to Sonia the baker who stole our hearts! Her Yummy Bakery donated hundreds of cupcakes for the event and a cake in the form of a fire truck that just wowed the children and our fire fighters!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

A Beary Special Thanksgiving

We honored the spirit of Thanksgiving by thanking her honor, Judge Cindy Lederman, and her colleagues of the Miami-Dade Juvenile Court.

Click Here to View the Photo Album

Click Here to watch Michele Gillen's report, "A Bear Thanksgiving," from CBS4 News


Photos by Isaac Levitan

Sunday, August 24, 2008

"Yogi" Bears share in the light of the Brahma Kumaris

Photos by Jo Blanco



A magical night as noted lecturer Brother Charlie Hogg traveled from Australia to share insight on building healthy relationships. Bears specially dressed by Sister Isabel.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Big Apple falls in love with Adopt a Bear -- "adopted" mascot for new mission to help children in South Africa. Stay tuned!


Randi Martire (left), a Yoga instructor from the Deepak Chopra Center in Manhattan, travels to South Africa to assist children in need of food, schools, and running water. The effort spearheaded by www.creative-seeds.org, an organization founded by Allison Talis (right). Traveling Bear (center) joins the two of them as they travel and touch souls. Video to come.

First and last official act - Out going DCF Chief Bob Butterworth adopts two bears as New Chief George Sheldon is sworn in