The holiday week has turned into a very generous one for supporters of the Martha’s Vineyard Teddy Bear Suite Fundraiser. Donors have now raised more than $39,000!
“It’s been incredibly gratifying to see so much support pouring in,” said Teddy Bear Suite Co-Founder, Wendy Harman. “All the money raised, goes to directly support the MV Boys & Girls Club Healthy Happy Kids food program, and I think a lot of people have come to realize just how important this vital program is to our island children.”
The projected cost of Healthy Happy Kids, H2K, in 2018 is $50,000. “We’re thrilled that the Teddy Bear Suite Fundraiser is going to help pay for a large portion of that, maybe even close to all of it by the time we wrap up,” said Harman. “Our colleague Guinevere Cramer has a great post about H2K, and where the money goes, and what it funds for the kids.” Read more.
Every week, H2K is already serving more than 500 elementary school aged children healthy and substantial, after school snacks and meals, at no cost to the kids. Enrollment at the after school programs has almost tripled over the last year, and the food program has already made a big impact on food insecurity and childhood hunger on Martha’s Vineyard — a problem a lot more common than many people realized.
Online Donations Thru December 31st
The Teddy Bear Suite has now become the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club single largest fundraising event of the year. In the seven years since its beginning, the MV Teddy Bear Suite has now raised more than $112,000 for the Club and its vital after school programs. The drive this year currently stands at $41,500. Tax deductible donations can be made right thru December 31st, when this year’s fundraiser wraps up. We’d be honored if you would help us fund the H2K program. Donate Now.
Many People To Thank So Far
This year’s holiday fundraising drive has been supported by many people and events throughout December, from door donations at the Teddy Bear Suite hosted at the Harbor View Hotel, to the holiday raffle, Teddy Bear Trot, and Big Bear raffle at Rosewater Market.
There have been generous pledges to the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club directly and huge support from online donors from around the country. We thank everyone who has helped us get this far, and in particular, during this holiday week, special thank you’s go to: Susan Alexander, Pamela Phillips, Steve and Sarah Church, Robin Breen, Trish Lyman, Pam Morrow, Max Baker, Barbara Conroy, James Rice, and Elizabeth Baker.
From the MV Boys & Girls Club Teddy Bear Suite holiday week fundraising pledge drive, we’d like to thank: James Shane, Philip Scranton, Ronald Slate, Judy Stotz, MJ Mintz, Suzanne Boyer, Deborah Macinnis, Bob Barbera, The Federated Church, Donaroma’s Nursery & Landscaping, Melrod Family’s Charitable Foundation, Bisby Charitable Trust, and Andrea Ross.