In April of 2011, a commitment was made to launch a Teddy Bear Charity that would be holiday-neutral and provide support and comfort to the patients and their families on a year-around basis. On November 9, 2011, Teddy Bear Hugs U was officially launched with room-to-room delivery of Teddy Bears to the Patients in the University of Minnesota Hospitals. Teddy Bear Hugs U put a smile on the face of every Patient we visited that day. Today, Teddy Bear Hugs U is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation established in June 2011 with the sole purpose of raising funds to purchase Teddy Bears that are distributed to the patients at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. All proceeds from our Annual Fund-Raising Event are used for the purchase of Teddy Bears. Since 2011, we have raised over $155,000.00 and distributed over (15,000) Teddy Bears. We are extremely grateful to the Donors, Sponsors, and Participants in our Annual Fund-Raising Event. Our Mission Statement: Enhancing the Patient experience at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital by providing a higher level of comfort to patients who at times feel so far away from home and are faced with the uncertainty of their health and well-being. Details of our Annual Event plus Registration and Sponsorship information is enclosed, and also on our website- www.teddybearhugsu.org.