The Connecticut Education Foundation is looking to match more than 800 Connecticut students with sponsors in its annual gift-giving effort
After receiving an unprecedented number of gift requests for its annual Holiday Bear Project, the Connecticut Education Foundation (CEF) is looking for sponsors to support this annual gift-giving effort.
More than 800 Connecticut public school students in grades Pre-K through 12 were nominated to receive gifts this year. The Holiday Bear Project, an all-volunteer program run by teachers and other supporters, provides these students with warm clothing and other gifts, delivering hope and cheer at a time when many families are struggling to meet basic living expenses.
To ensure that this year’s Holiday Bear Project can be as successful as possible, CEF is seeking sponsors to contribute gifts to this effort. By sharing the following information, you can help us provide gifts to as many students as possible.
Who can be a sponsor
CEF welcomes both individual sponsors and group sponsors, such as businesses or organizations.
What sponsors do
Sponsors receive a duffle bag as well as a list compiled by a teacher on a student’s needs, interests, hobbies, and clothing sizes. They then purchase and wrap gifts for the student, fill the bag (which can hold approximately 10 to 15 presents), and bring it to either the student’s school or Connecticut Education Association headquarters — located at 21 Oak Street, Suite 500 in Hartford — for distribution.
How to be a sponsor Anyone wishing to be a sponsor can visit cea.org/holiday-bear-project or contact CEF president Joslyn DeLancey at joslynd@cea.org or 860-525-5641.
Important dates
Sponsors can sign up for the Holiday Bear Project through Friday, November 22nd. However, CEF can also accept sponsorship requests beyond this deadline as long as the sponsor is able to prepare their gifts by Friday, December 6th.
Additional information
People who wish to assist this effort but are not able to shop for gifts can make monetary donations to the Holiday Bear Project. CEF uses these donations to purchase gifts for children who could not be matched with a sponsor.
Since 2016, the Holiday Bear Project has provided gifts to 4,105 students in Connecticut’s public schools, including 750 who received gifts in 2023.
About the Connecticut Education Association
The Connecticut Education Association is the state’s largest association of public school teachers. This member organization champions students, teachers, and public schools by advocating for policies that include competitive educator salaries and benefits, well-resourced classrooms, and safe, healthy schools. CEA was founded in 1848, and today includes more than 160 local affiliates.
About the Connecticut Education Foundation
The Connecticut Education Foundation is the charitable arm of the Connecticut Education Association. This non-profit organization supports scholarships for students who are studying to enter the teaching profession in Connecticut, provides financial assistance for CEA members who are experiencing extraordinary or catastrophic personal situations, and helps provide basic necessities to students in need. CEF was established in 1991.
