The first adorable stuffed animals were placed in the little red wagon at the entrance to Amherst Label by the company’s president, Nick Calvetti. He had gone out shopping the night before to select just the right snuggle buddies for the kids at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD).
Long recognized for his acts of kindness, this time Nick was inspired by an employee.
Customer Service Representative Jessica Ackerman has been at Amherst Label for four years. A year and a half ago, she and her husband Mike lost a baby Jess was carrying to a rare heart condition.
Jessica and her husband will mourn their special baby forever. Jess writes, “I believe no parent should experience the loss of a child to hypoplastic left heart syndrome…. And I hope that by supporting CHaD, I can help other families in need.”
The plan is to collect new stuffed animals—with the tags still in tact—from employees, friends and local community members. Jess has a goal of 250, a number she chose randomly and can’t imagine in actuality. Picturing whether they will fit in her car or a coworker’s van is a little vague at this point but will crystalize as donations come in.
Anyone who would like to help the cause is invited to drop off a new stuffed animal with tags in the entryway at Amherst Label. The drive ends in late November. Jessica will make sure your gift ends up the the tiny arms of a child at CHaD.
Join the Cuddle Collection Club Facebook page for updates.
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