Cuddle Bear Challenge!

Call me cynical, it's okay, but I just never feel quite right about donating my money to a big organization for 'research.' I'm sure it's necessary, and I'm very glad people can do that, but I just don't. It feels like the money's just floating away in midair, never to be seen again, to pay for some... well, I don't know. And that's the issue - I don't know!
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month; I never knew there was such a thing, but I'm glad for it. As a mother of a child with cancer, it's like a little sticky note that says, "We have not forgotten you." 
When Anna was first diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma Nevus Syndrome (Gorlin Syndrome), our support group sent her some fun happies in the mail. We all felt loved and thought-about. Just the fact that someone cared enough to send my child, whom they didn't even know, a little care package of cute toys just to make her smile, well, it was very moving. Very moving indeed.

(This is a picture of Anna just after opening her box of love from our support group a few years ago.)
I want to do that. I want to give a smile to a child, to a mom, to a family who has a tough road ahead. It's not easy, and every path is unique, but I want to give them that same smile that Anna has above.
So, what can I do? I'm just one mom (with limited funds!).
Meet Cuddle Bear.

Cuddle Bear is a super-sweet hardback picture book about everyone needing a friend (and a hug!). Usborne Books & More donates a portion of every sale of Cuddle Bear to the Scott Carter Foundation, which supports research to end childhood cancer. Great idea, I'm sure it's fabulous, but, like I said earlier, I just don't donate to huge foundations (although I'm glad people do, really). I just like to give to people.
So, here's what I've come up with...
I'm doing a Cuddle Bear drive for the month of September. Call it a challenge if it sounds more fun, but don't bother with the ice. Awesome, right?! Yeah, okay, but now what?
As you may already know, I work with Usborne Books & More, and they have a great program where they match donations by 50%. So, when you take the Cuddle Bear Challenge (it does sound more fun like that, let's go with it!) and donate $30 to buy the book and super-cute teddy bear, your hard-earned money stretches further. Who doesn't love that?! If you donate two sets, Usborne will donate one, too! If you donate four sets, Usborne will donate two, and so on!
At the end of the month, I'll take all of the Cuddle Bear sets to Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children to be handed out to little ones who need a smile - to kids who need a hug. And Cuddle Bear will be there to give them one.

Will you help make that happen?
Will you join me in taking the Cuddle Bear Challenge?
Our family is donating the first set. Please fill out the form below or message me on Facebook to send a hug to a family who needs it. Believe me, we do need it.
And if you're in my Usborne Book Barn VIP Club, be sure to check out our FB group for a very exciting opportunity!
(Sorry that the form is a little wider than the blog, but life is just too short to spend any more time trying to fix it! You know how it is, right?)

Thank you! If you filled out the form, I'll be in touch soon to get your payment, so expect a call or email from me (check your Spam folder!). Since we're doing the matching funds program to give more sets (woot!), I have to put the order in a special way, which is why you can't just order it online.
I'll also be donating all of my commission from this Cuddle Bear Challenge. And to hype this up even more and get more Cuddle Bears into kids' hands, if you take the Cuddle Bear Challenge, I'll give you free shipping on your Usborne order this month! Please contact me to take advantage of this offer after you submit your form above.
Again, thank you so much for considering helping families who struggle with childhood cancer. It sucks. It really, really does. And anything to bring a smile to their faces is so worth it.
Let the Cuddle Bear Challenge begin!