Never underestimate the power of a teddy bear. That was the message delivered by the Chandler Crisis Response Team to Valley Bloom members, who donate specially designed bears to the team each year for children in crisis.
“A 7-year-old girl was almost catatonic when we got there,” said Josh Saunders, a Response Team volunteer who knelt beside the girl after she experienced a family death. “The moment we gave her the bear, there was an immediate sense of comfort.”
Kanika Henry, senior crisis intervention specialist, said she tells children, “This bear is for you. He can take all the hugs and tears you can give it.”…