They were married for many years, longer together than they were apart. But now her husband died and she is alone, really alone. It is even harder when you are old and unable to do many things. Now their only companion is tears, lots of tears.
Sometimes Survivors bury their spouse, or even their children- or a sibling, or their best friend of 75 years from the Holocaust. They also are in need of comforting. Loss is something they have lived with every day since they saw their parents or siblings killed…
This is a description that applies to Survivors every day. They are dying quickly and we 
are meeting more and more widows, widowers and those who are distraught. What can be done for the time when no one is there to hold their hands? We give them Comfort Bears.
What exactly is a Comfort Bear? It is a stuffed bear that is soft- oh so soft and squeezable- a bear that can be held and brings release and, well, comfort.
When we hear of a new loss, we look in our stock of Comfort Bears. Which one… ah, the one that reminds us of her husband! The one that looks like a child’s bear or even twin bears hugging one another. Each bear is soft and huggable. We hand it to them stroking the bear, placing the bear in their hands and encourage them to stroke the bear too. We tell them whenever they miss their loved one, and want to be able to touch them again, hold onto this Comfort Bear. Tears are okay.
More often than not the grieving Survivor will hug that bear, bury their face in it and begin to cry, or sometimes we hear just a soft sigh.
We have given many Comfort Bears over the years. We will need many more in the times to come. But our supply is running low. The main requirement is they be soft and huggable, for men and for women. They should be fairly plain and not of sports or seasons. It must be a bear an adult can hold and feel fine with it. Some bears wear scarves or ribbons, are various colors of brown, white and even red and some have nothing at all- but are just the right bear to hug. Can you help us out?
Please contact Nancy adopt@ahi-il.org or call 717-592-0859 for info on sending a bear or giving a donation to buy them. Your donated bears will bring comfort in the midst of grief.
