What Are They Doing with 300 Teddy Bears?

The Tiny Hands Foundation of Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto Counties donated more than 300 new teddy bears to the Sarasota Police Department, suited in T-shirts with the new SPD logo. 

These teddy bear “officers” will ride with ‪Sarasota Police officers and will be given out to help comfort children they encounter who may be in distress. Our Community Relations Unit (CRU) will also have the bears on hand to distribute at community events with children. 

“This is just another way our officers are committed to being someone the children of our community can trust,” said Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche. “These bears will help the younger generation associate our officers with something positive.”

“If one of these teddy bears comforts, consoles, or eases the pain of a single child experiencing trauma, then our goal has been met,” said Rod Khleif, Founder and President of the Tiny Hands Foundation.

From the Tiny Hands Foundation Website- Our core mission is to improve the quality of life for impoverished children in our area. We promote an exchange of generosity and gratitude between the fortunate in our community and those who are in need. We are a small all volunteer non-profit organization, we have no paid staff, we pay no rent, and our administrative costs are minimal. Our foundation leads several annual community children’s charitable initiatives that have benefited more than 130,000 Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto county community children and families.

Photo from Facebook