Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends, Fairfield’s Student Alumni Association and Office of Alumni Relations are celebrating another successful annual Teddy Bears with Love drive. Far surpassing their goal of collecting and delivering 1,500 “bear hugs,” the 20th annual Teddy Bears with Love drive was the most successful to date!

From November 1 to mid-December, more than 1,800 teddy bears and stuffed animals were collected and donated to children’s hospitals and charities not only in Connecticut but all over the country. “I’m proud to say that the 20th anniversary of this program was our best year yet,” stated Kathryn Peters ’20, Student Alumni Association director of Community Service, who oversaw the coordination of the drive. “We are incredibly grateful for our Fairfield University campus community’s generosity, the numerous drives organized independently by our alumni at their places of business, and our local partnerships with companies such as Enterprise and Snuggle.”

This year’s drive brought Fairfield’s 20-year teddy bear collection total to over 22,000. Fairfield alumni were a large part of the drive’s success, with Alumni Chapters throughout the country—including such locations as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco—hosting regional collection events. Several alumni also organized local drives in their communities and places of business. “Thank you to all who participated and donated, and helped bring smiles to the faces of thousands of children across the country during the holiday season,” said Colleen McGinn, Alumni Engagement director and Student Alumni Association adviser. “It truly was a season of giving during this holiday season for the Fairfield community!”

For more information about Fairfield’s Teddy Bears with Love Drive, please visit fairfield.edu/teddybears.