Dear friend,

I found myself one of the 6.2 MILLION U.S. ADULTS grieving the incarceration of a loved one. My late boyfriend’s eldest, my best friend, and my only sibling were all sentenced to a substantial amount of time in prison. I watched two families completely heartbroken as they hugged and said goodbye to their loved one, but my family didn’t get such a luxury. Unexpected charges for my sibling required immediate detainment.

When my parents arrived home from a denied pre-trial release hearing, I reluctantly, already aware of the answer, asked my father, “It’s bad, huh?” With tear-filled eyes I had never seen before he replied, “Well, your mother and I will never get to hug him again.”

That is the heartbreaking reality for so many victims of having a family member or significant other incarcerated.

We might not have done the crime, but we definitely do the time.

My goal with Till I’m There Bears is to give comfort to families at home with this tangible link to their loved ones: sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, siblings, and friends. This gift is for anyone missing someone.

Not only does this support families at home, but it enables the absent to still be capable of consoling and soothing their loved ones even without their physical presence, keeping their bonds strong with family, which has been proven to reduce reoffending as well.

— LennyOwner / Creator, Till I’m There Bears