“Bear Hugs” Project by Linden Lodge Foundation
The Linden Lodge Foundation is initiating a project to help those children in our community that are in need – but especially in need of something that is warm, fuzzy, and would belong to them no matter where they reside.
Linden Lodge Foundation is a non-profit organization that solicits no federal or state money for the operation of Linden Lodge. We operate a 24/7 supervised residential programs for adults that are afflicted with a chronic mental illness. Our residents are very community oriented and are well aware of the discrimination of those with a disability – any kind of disability.
Our “Bear Hug” project was proposed by one of our residents who volunteers at Pinecrest High School in their special needs program and has seen firsthand the need for something to bring joy to children.
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- Emily and Marianne arrive to distribute bears and stuffed animals to the wonderful children in the Head Start Program in Aberdeen, NC
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- 70 children excitedly await in anticipation of receiving their very own fuzzy animal to keep and take home.
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- Marianne Kernan, Executive Director, Linden Lodge, getting great pleasure in giving this youngster the bear of his choice – loving feelings do not get better than this!
Our sole mission for this project is to bring comfort to children with the help of other individuals, organizations/businesses. We are hoping that you will see the merit in this project and consider our desire for any bears, new or gently used. Ideally we would give our “Bear Hugs” out on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2015. This community project will be lead by Christina Maness (staff) and Emily Loew (resident) whose hearts are always in the right place.
We plan on distributing bears to those children at the Friend to Friend Women’s Shelter in Carthage, the Family Promise Program of Moore County, and on the pediatric ward of First Health Moore Regional Hospital. If successful, this will be an on-going project for our residents who, despite their own illnesses, are very community-spirited.
Thank you very much in advance for any consideration you might give to supporting this worthy cause by donating bears and, as importantly, sharing this information with others in your circle of influence who might want to participate.
Together we can make a difference!
Linden Lodge on Christmas Eve – 2014
Smiling faces at Linden Lodge right before we opened gifts on Christmas Eve. After the gift giving, off to church most of us went to thank the Good Lord for all his blessings, and then to various homes for the night and a wonderful Christmas Day with families and/or friends.. My thanks to all of you that made it possible by your support in all ways – you are awesome! Love, Marianne
Kneeling: left, Jesse;Bob Whitehouse, Program Director; 1st row: Dean, Marianne, Mariah (the precious 3 year old of Johnathan and Corlotta), Christina, Corlotta, Johnathan; Back row: Keith, Brendan, Emily, Alex