Build-A-Bear Workshop seeks huggable heroes

The Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes program, now in its 10th year, is accepting nominations for young people ages eight to 18 who are doing their part to make the world a better place. Ten Huggable Heroes will each receive $10,000 which includes an educational scholarship, a donation to a charity of their choice, and a mentoring scholarship to support their charitable entrepreneurships.

In celebration of the 10th birthday of its Huggable Heroes program, Build-A-Bear Workshop is joining forces with the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, one of the nation’s top community service recognition programs founded 40 years ago by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Senator Robert Taft, Jr. and Sam Beard. Through the Jefferson Awards’ GlobeChangers training and mentoring systems, the newest generation of philanthropists recognized by Build-A-Bear Workshop will be equipped with the tools they need to build a lifetime of public service.

Each Huggable Hero will be paired with a mentor through the Jefferson Awards GlobeChangers system for a year in order to develop valuable skills for writing business plans, networking and fundraising. The training and on-going support the Huggable Heroes receive from their mentors will enable these future leaders to grow personally and scale their efforts globally.

Over the past 10 years, the Huggable Heroes have as a group raised more than $9.4 million, have collected more than 316 million items to donate and recruited thousands of volunteers to extend their efforts. This year, Build-A-Bear Workshop will name 10 Huggable Heroes who are making the most significant impact in their communities and beyond.

Nominations will be accepted through the web site buildabear.com/huggableheroes or by mail until Feb. 28. Nomination forms are also available at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in the United States such as in the Rockaway Townsquare Mall in Rockaway, N.J., Palisades Center in West Nyack, N.Y. and Galleria at Crystal Run in Middletown, N.Y.

Since Build-A-Bear Workshop first launched the Huggable Heroes program in 2004, more than 100 Huggable Heroes have been recognized, and have collectively been awarded nearly one million dollars in donations and scholarships.

The Huggable Heroes will also receive a trip to St. Louis, Missouri, home of Build-A-Bear Workshop World Bearquarters, where they will be celebrated for their work, participate in a Jefferson Awards GlobeChangers BootCamp session, take part in a day of service, and have their photos taken to potentially be featured in the Build-A-Bear Workshop 2014 calendar.

Entries will be narrowed down to 80 semifinalists in March and 30 finalists in May. On June 10, selected young people will be named 2013 Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes.

To read the stories about past Huggable Heroes, and learn more about the program, visit buildabear.com/huggableheroes.