Teddy bear holding a heart and sitting against a red background

About Us

In Loss, Love On’s story traces its roots back to a student service project initiated many years ago by a student named Isabelle, an incredible individual dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of children. Isabelle’s original initiative involved collecting and distributing stuffed animals to children of domestic violence survivors as well as those encountered by first responders, ultimately rehoming thousands of these comforting companions.

Upon Isabelle’s graduation, the project found a new successor in Sophia, who was determined to continue Isabelle’s vision and evolve its mission. Inspired by her personal experience of losing her father at the age of 10, Sophia envisioned a broader purpose and created the In Loss, Love On project. Recognizing the profound impact of grief on children and the isolating intensity of navigating loss at a young age, Sophia decided to dedicate In Loss, Love On’s mission to collecting and rehoming stuffed animals for children facing or recovering from loss.

In Loss, Love On was born out of Sophia’s deep understanding of the loneliness and hopelessness that often accompany childhood grief. Beyond aiding children in navigating grief and loss, In Loss, Love On has been fortunate to extend its support to adults and elderly individuals in need of comfort as well. This initiative also reaches out to those experiencing the loss of their homes, safety, and individuals traversing the challenging path of overcoming trauma.

Motivated by a genuine desire to make a positive impact, Sophia established In Loss, Love On  with the purpose of providing comfort to others who, like her, have encountered loss and grapple with living in the shadow of grief. Through In Loss, Love On, Sophia hopes to convey a powerful message to every recipient of these pre-loved stuffed animals: you are not alone.

About Our Process

Stuffed animals in boxes labeled donations.

COLLECTION

We aim to organize a minimum of two drives each year, allowing us to expand our impact across various organizations throughout North Carolina. We warmly welcome and encourage plushie donations from families seeking to rehome both new and preloved stuffed animals. By doing so, we not only foster community involvement and support but also contribute to the meaningful repurposing of stuffed animals that might otherwise be discarded. We are grateful for the generous contributions made by families throughout the Triangle. It is because of your generosity that we are able to make a lasting impact on the lives of those we aim to assist. 

Teddy bear sitting on chair with yellow background

CARE

Following the collection of donated stuffed animals from the Triangle area, we carefully check and sort each donated plushie by size and condition. We do ask that all items are washed and dried prior to pick up. Any items needing additional care undergo a thorough washing and restoration process to bring them back to a like-new condition. Once each plushie is categorized and cared for, we assess the specific needs, requests, and preferences of the various organizations we serve to determine which stuffed animals will be sent to each organization. From there, the selected items are packed and readied for transport.

Child hugging a teddy bear with their back to the camera

OUTREACH

Our goal is to collaborate with a diverse range of organizations, expanding our impact and support to as many children and families as possible. Over the past year, we have partnered with Backpack Beginnings, SafeSpace, MATCH, Harbor House, Carolina Cares as well as local police departments and schools. This broad collaboration allows us to bring as much comfort as we can to those in need. Although our primary focus is assisting children in difficult situations, we also deliver plushies to organizations that offer support to adults and elderly individuals navigating challenges, grief and loss.

Child in yellow jacket hugging a teddy bear.

DELIVERY

Once the stuffed animals are packed and prepared, we drive out to personally deliver them to each organization. To date, we have successfully delivered stuffies to organizations spanning six counties throughout the state. In the future we hope to reach out to bring comfort to people all across North Carolina and beyond.

By the
Numbers

With one full year complete, In Loss, Love On has made substantial strides in supporting those in need of comfort throughout North Carolina–and we’re just getting started!

1980

The total number of stuffies collected and distributed in 2022-2023.

6

The number of North Carolina counties reached with stuffed animal support (Wake, Durham, Franklin, Harnett, Johnston & Guilford Counties) in the last year.

10

The number of organizations that we have served throughout North Carolina that support the needs of children and families in our communities.

In Loss, Love On is only possible because of the generosity of children and families who have donated plushies throughout the Triangle. To every family who has chosen to donate

THANK YOU!

Get in touch

Interested in receiving donations for your organization? Please reach out! We’d love to help!

Interested in creating a neighborhood stuffed animal drive? Please reach out! We would love to help and are happy to pick up your donations for rehoming!

Stay tuned for updates about upcoming donation drives in the Triangle area!

For other inquiries please reach out via email: inlossloveon@gmail.com

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