COVINGTON, Ky. -- Seventy handmade bears filled with love will travel from Braxton Brewery to St. Joseph'sOrphanage this holiday season, giving neglected, abused and troubled children a friend who will accompany them on their journey through social services.
"We welcome them by telling them they can pick out a bear they can hold onto the entire time and provide some comfort to them," St. Joseph's community relations and volunteer coordinator Lisa Caminiti said.
The bears were made by volunteers from the American Marketing Association and created specifically for St. Joseph's emergency placement program, which will begin providing a safe place for children removed from their homes.
"We have a facility that's very homey," Caminiti said. "It has a full-sized kitchen, a big living area where the kids can play and interact socially as well as bedrooms enough to house 10 children."
Starting in January, those children will have a place to sleep -- and a bear to hug.
