Noble Elementary collects stuffed toys for Providence House

Noble 5th grade teacher Sean Sullivan with just a few of the students who have donated almost 1,000 stuffed animals.

Teddy bears make kids feel good.  That’s why students at Noble Elementary are collecting stuffed toys for Providence House, the nation’s oldest crisis nursery.

Committed to child abuse prevention and family preservation, Providence House provides emergency shelter for children in crisis who are experiencing homelessness, child abuse or neglect, or who face a family medical or mental health emergency or domestic violence.

Every child receives a stuffed animal toy upon arrival.              

The students at Noble Elementary School are on track to collect more than 1,000 new or “like new” stuffed animals. If they reach their goal, Cleveland Heights Mayor Ed Kelly will celebrate the successful toy drive with the students and will “be buried” in the collected stuffed animal toys. The drive runs through Dec. 21. The stuffed animals will be delivered to Providence House on Dec. 22.

Fifth grade teacher Sean Sullivan leads the bear drive, which started at Oxford and moved to Noble Elementary when he changed schools. “Oxford Elementary School holds the record," he said. "We collected 3,042 stuffed animals in 2008.”

This is Sullivan’s first year at Noble. With more than 1,000 animals collected, the drive is off to a great start.

Sullivan said, “I feel it is important for our students to have an opportunity to participate in community service projects. My hope is that they will someday take on a project/service of their own that will help others.”