NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison, along with deputy chiefs and commanders, accepted a donation of 1,500 teddy bears as a result of the NOPD’s third annual Teddy Bear Program, initiated by Arnaud’s Restaurant and in partnership with the NOPJF.
The teddy bears will be placed in NOPD vehicles for officers to distribute to children who have been traumatized due to tragedy or victimization, along with distraught family members. In addition, a portion of the teddy bears donated will be earmarked for the Baton Rouge Police Department to share the goodwill after devastating floods and violence in that area.
“We thought it would be a great idea to help give the police another tool that they could use in dealing with children in crisis and that was sort of the driving force behind the program,” said Archie Casbarian, co-owner of Arnaud’s Restaurant.
They collect the bears between November and Dec. 31 annually, so hold on to those teddies for next fall. You can drop them at various points around the city.