“This year, members of the Avon community sponsored over a hundred students through the Holiday Bear Project,” says Avon Education Association President Jon Moss.
The Connecticut Education Foundation’s Holiday Bear Project provides gifts to students who otherwise wouldn’t receive any during the holidays. Children are nominated by their teachers, and sponsors across the state step up to purchase a bag full of gifts for each child. In December, gifts are collected from sponsors and transported to families of students across the state.
“This time of year, there are so many great ways to help out in our greater community,” Moss says. The day that CEF came to collect Holiday Bear gifts in Avon was also PJ Day to benefit Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.
Almost 70 districts across the state sponsor students, and they each do it in a different way. In Avon, it’s decidedly a community affair, but teachers, students, and families still get involved in a variety of different ways.
“Sometimes classes sponsor students and families sign up to contribute gifts and then the class wraps the gifts together,” says Moss, a fifth-grade teacher at Thompson Brook School. “It’s a great community-building activity. Sometimes groups of teachers or student organizations join together to sponsor. We also have individual teachers and community members who sponsor students on their own.”
“Our whole community has gotten involved, which has been really incredible to see,” says Thompson Brook Principal Melissa Morgan-Hostetler. “We have parents who have volunteered to purchase things, and some come in to help students learn how to wrap gifts and really compile everything.”
One of Moss’ fifth graders, MJ, says she enjoyed participating in Holiday Bear and went shopping with her family to pick out gifts for a sponsored student.
“Our teacher told us what the student likes, so we went to the store and found some things that fit all the categories that she likes,” MJ says.
Fellow fifth-grader Carter says he’s been participating in Holiday Bear with his class since kindergarten.
“In the world there are a lot of people that aren’t as lucky and don’t have large amounts of toys in their houses or don’t have as much food as we do, so I think it’s very important to care for these people so that they have a good life,” he says.
Like Carter, many members of the Avon community have participated in Holiday Bear for years. Sixth-grade long-term sub Maddie Gordon is a first-time Holiday Bear supporter and says she really enjoyed taking part. Her room parent set up a sign up sheet to keep track of donations, and the class purchased and wrapped enough gifts to fill duffel bags for two students.
“My students loved it—it was really meaningful for them,” Gordon says. “They really connect to the thrill of opening up a present on the holidays, and I think they were really excited to be able to provide that opportunity for another student.”
“This season we have been able to deliver over 800 bags to students around the state,” says CEF President and CEA Vice President Joslyn DeLancey. “What I love about what Avon does is they really make it a community project, so students are involved, teachers are involved, paraprofessionals, administrators, and even the superintendent and the PTOs. It’s a great way for the students to really feel a sense of giving, and there are also students who receive gifts.”
DeLancey continues, “I want to give a special thank you to our CEA and CEF staff who have really gone above and beyond to make sure our students get what they need. Thank you to all of our sponsors, especially those who took on multiple students to make sure they are happy and supported with really wonderful gifts. Thank you also to all of our partners who made sure to get the word out to ensure the project’s success.”
“Everyone should have happy holidays because it’s the season of believing, and everyone should have a reason to be really happy around this time of year,” says fifth-grader Grace. “I think that the people who get these presents are going to have a reason to be really happy.”
Gifts have already been collected for the upcoming holidays, but you can donate to support the Holiday Bear Project year round.
