YES! We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, registered in the USA since 2011 (Tax ID: 452318910).

If you donated to help cover the cost of your bear, your request receives priority status—meaning it will typically ship within 1–2 weeks. Any paid order, regardless of amount, is processed faster than free requests. We ship as many bears as our budget allows, and when you cover shipping or purchase add-ons, your order is sent in advance of and in addition to our regular shipments.

No, you have various payment options to choose from once you click the PayPal button.

No, the PayPal information is all we need, but be sure to double check the address as that is where we will send the bear. If the address information is incorrect, fill out the form located below or email us ASAP! You may experience a delay in receiving your bear. 

If you donated to send a bear to someone else, we will send the bear to the address you entered IN THE FORM. No need to email us unless you forgot to enter the Recipient's name and/or address. 

At this time, our free bears are not customizable. We know every story is unique, but to ensure we can support as many families as possible, we keep our process simple and consistent. Customization adds significant cost and time, which would limit the number of bears we’re able to send, but we hope to be able to offer personalized bears in the future. We do offer a few customizable jewelry/keepsake options in our shop.

Yes—We send out confirmations for all form submissions. If you did not get one, check your spam folder. If you believe you entered a typo in the email address, you can update it below on the Change of Address Form.

A correct email address is REQUIRED to get your bear. When we are preparing to ship your bear, you will receive a private link to complete our required Bear Confirmation form (this is when we will collect your shipping address and determine which bear best suits your needs). If we do not have your correct email address, we won't be able to email you the required form and you won't receive your bear!

Because of how we process requests, we’re not able to give an exact estimate. Here’s how it works:

Please allow time for us to process your request. We send out Bear Confirmation Forms in the order requests are received. The time it takes to move through each batch determines when we’re able to send the next round of confirmation forms.

Your bear will be shipped out as soon as possible. You’ll receive tracking info via email from stamps.com once your bear is on the way.

As soon as possible—Hospitals are still our priority. We usually ship boxes within 2–3 weeks, but we ask that you give us up to a month to process your request. Even if you’ve submitted a request in the past, we kindly ask that you complete the form again for each new box (Please wait at least 2 months after receiving a shipment before submitting another request). 

No—Project BEAR only offers 5" or 8" brown bears which are not customizable. Each bear comes with a removable t-shirt with a saying unique to each journey. Our 8" Baby Loss and our 8" NICU Bears have a tag on which you can write your baby's name. We have personalizable jewelry, crocheted hats, and other keepsakes available for purchase on our shop. 

If you realize your email or address is old, incorrect, or incomplete in PayPal or on your Bear Confirmation Form, fill out the Change of Address Form below as soon as possible. Be sure to fill out the form completely so we can easily find your request. If we have already shipped a bear to the wrong address, we will require a $6 fee for the extra shipping costs. 

We send bears all over the world; however, shipping outside of the United States is expensive, and we require at least an $20 (USD) shipping/customs fee. Requests for free bears outside the United States will not be honored.

We recommend giving them our info so they can request a free bear themselves. If you would still like to have a bear sent to them, we ask that a donation of $10 be made. This helps us continue providing free bears to families who request one for themselves. 

When you gift a bear, it includes a special card letting the recipient know a bear was sent in their honor. If they reach out to us asking who sent it, we’re happy to share your name (unless you prefer to remain anonymous). The bear is shipped in a special envelope and is marked as "A Gift for You from Project BEAR" and still comes with a sympathy card.

If you’re not able to donate, you’re welcome to request a free bear in your own name and address—so you can send or give it to your loved one, personally.

At Project B.E.A.R., we ask a few optional questions about your experience to help us understand the unique journeys of the families we serve. These details are never required to receive a bear, but they help us:

     ● Honor your story with intention and care
     ● Improve how we support and advocate for grieving and medically fragile families
     ● Track patterns and needs so we can seek better funding, create new resources, and expand our outreach
     ● Make sure we’re offering the right type of bear to match the kind of support someone might need

Please visit our Support Page for the various ways you can help support Project B.E.A.R.