Donated Teddy Bear Collection Provide Refugee Children with Snuggly Benefits

The IRC in Oakland recently received quite the exceptional and heartwarming donation from a local Alameda woman by the name of Alba Nelson. Alba is originally from Oakland, and at 91 years, she finally decided to pass on her famed teddy bear collection to kids in need.  Alba has been collection teddy bears and stuffed animals for the past 15 years and in total she donated around 20 stuffed animals, all of which are individually unique. There are “festive bears,” such as angels for Christmas or leprechauns for St. Patrick’s Day, and others that sing or dance, which were Alba’s favorites. Alba is the daughter of first generation Italian immigrants, and had lived her entire life in the Bay Area. She enjoys cooking  (and rumors to have a secret tomato sauce) and has attended a local crochet club with friends for the past 40 years. Alba is really happy to share her teddy bear collection with the IRC’s refugee children and to let children share some of the happiness that the stuffed animals have given her.

In addition to stuffed animals, the IRC is in need of in-kind toy donations at each of our 4 offices throughout Northern California (Oakland, Sacramento, San Jose, and Turlock). We aim to give our refugee children a toy upon arrival, which elicits some of the most joyous smiles we are lucky enough to see. It makes the world of difference to the people we work with, and we hope you will be inspired to help just like Alba.  Please contact Rachel Taber at Rachel.Taber@rescue.org for more information if you have toys to donate or would like to host a toy drive through your business/school/organization.  We accept new and like new toys for all ages. Those items that we find refugee kids enjoy most are activity-based toys that do not require batteries. Examples to get you thinking include:
     - Sketch books/coloring books and drawing materials
     - Crafts
     - Soccer balls and basketballs
     - Toy cars
     - Dolls