Sewing for a Cause: Stuffed Bears for Refugee Children

Small actions can create big changes. We have no doubt about it. Maybe, as individuals, we can’t change the world, but we can help make other people’s worlds better. And when we come together, we’re capable of incredible things. That’s what sewing for a cause is: a small gesture, a desire to put what we know how to do at the service of something that goes beyond us.

On other occasions, we’ve gotten involved with causes that touched our hearts (remember the kimo-kaps?) and we’ve even encouraged you to launch your own crafting-for-a-cause initiatives. Today we’re suggesting that you join the #charitybear movement.

Have you heard of it?

The idea is very simple and very beautiful. It may seem that a stuffed bear in the middle of the horror of war means nothing. That what a child needs isn’t a toy, but a home, safety, love… The right to be a child. Don’t see these little bears as a piece of fabric: see them as a sign of that love, of that affection that is never enough.

This initiative by Hecho con Amor is supported by the NGO Acción Planetaria, and you can take part in it, too.

It involves creating stuffed bears as an expression of that support, that love, and the desire to bring a glimmer of hope back to the eyes of refugee children. To put a smile on their faces, even if only for a moment. Small actions that sustain great changes—that’s the idea.

This sewing-for-a-cause project can be summed up in 3 simple steps:

1. Download the Charity Bear pattern here.
2. Time to sew! Make one, ten, a thousand… as many as you like.
3. Send the bear to Acción Planetaria:
   c/Martínez de la Rosa, 9
   Postal Code 08021 (Barcelona)

You can also sponsor bears on the Acción Planetaria website for the symbolic amount of 5€ to help with all the logistics of this and other solidarity projects.

We’ve thought about giving the Charity Bears a boost by organizing a workshop to sew lots and lots of them in our store in Mataró. All we’ll need are hands and love: we’ll take care of everything else, including the materials and setting up the sewing machines.

If you live in Mataró or nearby and would like to come participate with us, keep a close eye on our Facebook. As soon as we have a firm date, we’ll let you know right away so you can make plans :)

Update: We have a date! Charitybear Workshop February 24

And if you live farther away or it doesn’t work for you, you already know that you can make them on your own. You can even be the person who gets things started in your own circle and bring together more people who want to sew bears with you.

And finally, if sewing isn’t your thing, you can always share it so this idea can reach as far as possible.

Let’s sew some bears!