'Kids should always have smiles on their faces': Fourth-grader continues tradition of donating stuffed bears
A little girl's good deed has caught the attention of an international company.
When the Ikea in West Chester, Ohio, learned why a 9-year-old girl was buying stuffed panda bears from them in bulk, they decided to help her out.
Emma Keller is a fourth-grade student, and every year, she raises money to buy tons of stuffed panda bears from Ikea for kids who may not have toys of their own.
This year, the store donated 400 of these pandas to contribute to her annual drive.
"I feel like kids should always have smiles on their faces and have something to make them feel comfortable when they're not, or they're sad," Emma said.
Emma's mom, Erin Keller, volunteers with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit that builds and delivers beds to kids who don't have one.
When Emma was just 5 years old, she decided she'd help make sure those kids had something adorable to cuddle with.
"I found these pandas I really loved, and we started fundraising for them," Emma said.
Erin said the first year they set a goal of buying 100 pandas, but ended up exceeding that goal.
They continued every year and have since done five of these drives.
This year, Erin decided to tell store employees what they were up to and they wanted in.
"We're just so grateful to be a part of this donation," said Susan Blackstock, the market manager at Ikea.
Boxes and boxes of bears have since been loaded up and are ready to go to their new home where a child who will love them very much awaits.
"I feel like they should have a panda, kiss a panda. The pandas are open wide like they're going to hug you, and I feel like that's something everyone should have," Emma said.
This year, with the extra help, Emma was able to purchase 700 pandas.
Every time they go to set up a new bed, a child will come home to find one of those panda bears waiting for them too.
