Compassionate Tigers: Gilbert Elementary Donates Stuffed Animals to LA Students Impacted by Fires
Compassionate Tigers: Gilbert Elementary Donates Stuffed Animals to LA Students Impacted by Fires
Tristan Chavez
On Tuesday, February 11th, Gilbert Elementary School demonstrated the true meaning of community and compassion by donating over 900 stuffed animals and hand-written notes to students in Los Angeles impacted by the recent fires. This heartwarming initiative, driven by Gilbert Elementary’s Pawsitive Leaders and the Kindness & Service Club, aimed to provide comfort and support to students displaced by the devastating Pacific Palisades Fires.
On January 20, 2025, and with the support of Just Serve, a service that links community needs with volunteers, Gilbert Elementary launched its Stuffed Animal Drive. The school planned to send new stuffed animals along with handwritten notes that expressed sympathy and included words of encouragement. Every student at Gilbert Elementary contributed by writing a note to go along with a stuffed animal. The stuffed animals would then be sent not only to students who lost their school in the fires but also to those attending the school currently housing displaced students, ensuring that all affected children received a token of comfort.
“We asked our Pawsitive Leaders what they would want if they didn’t have anything else, and they agreed on stuffed animals. Their favorite day of the year is ‘Bring Your Stuffie to School Day’ so we decided to start collecting stuffed animals to donate,” said Louise Heeman, a Social Worker at Gilbert Elementary. “I’m extremely proud of our students and the compassion that they’ve shown. Many of our students and staff came in during recess to work on writing notes, decorating boxes, and preparing stuffed animals for delivery.”
Initially, Gilbert Elementary students collected 480 stuffed animals. Other Gilbert Public Schools, including Neely Traditional Academy and Meridian Elementary, joined the effort, holding their own drives and contributing an additional 200 stuffed animals. The Gilbert Elks also showed their support, donating $200 which Gilbert Elementary used to purchase even more stuffed animals. Gilbert community member and former Gilbert Elementary parent, Wesley “Wes” Bender, then offered his assistance after learning about the drive. Already planning a trip to California to deliver other donations, Wes generously volunteered to transport the collected stuffed animals directly to the schools in Los Angeles. When picking up the more than 900 stuffed animals donated, Wes shared, “This has shown the true power of community. All it takes is one person to say ‘I can do something to help’ and people can come together to show real compassion for others.”
On Friday, February 14, the stuffed animals were delivered to Nora Sterry Elementary School, which is currently housing students from Marquez Charter School. The gifts were distributed during a special Valentine's Day celebration designed to create a positive bonding experience for students from both schools.
In an email expressing gratitude to Gilbert Elementary, Uttara Natarajan, a Psychiatric Social Worker at Los Angeles Unified School District shared, “It was overwhelming to see all the incredible effort and heart that went into collecting toys, writing notes, sorting, and decorating the boxes along with the amazing efforts of Wes who drove to LA all the way from Gilbert to deliver this gift to our schools… The smiles and sense of hope that this gesture will bring the kids is immeasurable. It’s acts like these that make such a positive difference in their lives, and I know that they will remember the kindness they’ve received for years to come.”
By connecting with the local community, creating a project to help others, caring for others’ well-being, and contributing their time and resources, the students and staff at Gilbert Elementary have exemplified the values at the heart of Gilbert Public Schools. This story is a testament to the positive impact we can have on those around us when we Connect, Create, Care, and Contribute.