PASO (Put A Smile On) Bear program distributes 500 Teddy Bears to emergency service organizations to calm and give comfort to children in traumatic situations.
Every first responder has a cuddly friend tucked away in their vehicle for when a traumatic situation arises, and the PASO Bear is ready to go to work.
Local DJ Iris Lopez remembers receiving her bear as a preschooler while being driven to the hospital in an ambulance. The bear would then accompany her to school every day to relieve stress. Many recipients keep their bears for years.
While working at a Municipal Court, Michelle White recalls receiving a PASO Bear from the police officer soon after her husband passed away. “It meant so much to me, and I have kept him ever since.”
Agencies who receive PASO Bears:
