Gluten Free Traveling Bears

[happygirl]

I'm sure this has been posted at some point before, but it is worth sharing again.

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from the website:

The Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group (WCSSG) has initiated a unique Gluten-Free Traveling Bears for celiac children program to: increase awareness of celiac disease, help children with celiac disease understand and communicate the gluten-free diet, and raise funds for the WCSSG.

By request, one of the special Gluten-Free Traveling Bears can visit a child with celiac disease for a few days.

We can't wait to visit you!

The children may take the bears with them to school and local events. The bears, all named after safe gluten-free grain alternatives, are a fun way for the child to explain the nature of his/her extremely restricted diet. This new section of our web site site will track the bears' travels and post some of the letters and photos that the children wish to send. This will allow the children to see that there are many other children like themselves that are living with celiac disease. The bears will be sent to each child along with a backpack to carry it in, a disposable camera and games. Also included will be basic information about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. There will be information about and recipes using that bear's special grain alternative. The idea is to have something fun come from having celiac disease, let the children know that they are not alone, help to educate the children and their communities about celiac disease, and to promote and raise funds for the Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group's participation in the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program.

A $25 donation to the Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group allows one of the Gluten-Free Traveling Bears to visit a child and their family for a three-day visit before they need to mail it on to the next child awaiting the bear's visit. See comments from other host families.