Teddy bear power: An unexpected item in our disaster preparedness kit

Guest post by Candace Lamb, Red Cross blogger

While we always talk about what should be in your disaster preparedness kit, we don’t often tell you what goes in ours. When we prepare for disasters we are not only preparing to ensure we can keep working should the worst happen, but also to help take care of those affected by disasters. We make sure that we have the basics: food, water, clothing, and other essential items that we can provide to those in need. We often have other administrative items as well, like: signs, pens, paper, rubber bands, pre-organized paper work and so on, to help us distribute aid in an organized manner.

One thing that we think is essential, but is unlikely to be top of mind, is teddy bears. Yes, teddy bears. We have several stories proving their value like this story from the Alberta Floods. Teddy bears are a great way to provide comfort to children who have been affected by disasters, like house fires.

In Saskatchewan we have a team of people who are making very special teddy bears that are filled with love. The knitted bears are donated to Red Cross to ensure they reach children who could use a friend following a disaster.



We are debating which bear pattern makes the cutest bears. Tell us which bears you think are cuter — the two on the left, or the three on the right — or share your teddy bear knitting pattern in the comments below.