My why

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A photo of Aiza sitting next to a stack of boxes filled with teddy bears for children in need.

I was 7 years old when I first witnessed the generational effects of poverty. Children, no older than I was at the time were lined up outside of a hotel waiting to retrieve stale bread as it was being disposed of. This didn’t sit right with me. Why would anyone be deprived of good food?

I knew that I had to channel this energy into creating something special. In 2013, I founded Aiza’s Teddybear Foundation in an effort to make life easier for children in need. Each year, we repurpose and distribute tens of thousands of items to serve families in need. We send school supplies and warm sweaters to students at underfunded schools. We provide single mamas in need with the tools and resources they need to earn a small income as artisans. We furnish homes for individuals living in poverty-stricken regions. We fund meal programs for orphans and malnourished children. I created this project in the basement of my home. By God’s grace, we have been able to provide food, clothing and emotional support to thousands of children.

Since that first experience at 7 years old, I have devoted over 10,000 hours working with and learning from individuals from all walks of life. Every hour I have spent volunteering has been in honour of the little ones I crossed paths with many years prior.

It has been the greatest privilege of my life to use what I have been blessed with to serve humanity. Sending teddies to little ones is just an added bonus ☻

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A photo of children in a classroom holding teddy bear and school supply donations.
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