If you have been around Adoptionblogs.com or the Adoption.com Forums today, you may have already read about the awesome even that Build-A-Bear Workshop is holding on May 19. But just in case you have not heard about it, I wanted to make sure I mention it on here.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, that super fun store where kids can choose, "stuff", clean, name, dress and accessorize their very own stuffed animal, is holding "Stuffed with Hugs: Hugs Sweet Hugs" on May 19, where people can go into their local Build-A-Bear store and create a stuffed bear for orphans waiting to be adopted, for FREE.

Each Build-A-Bear store will be letting 200 free bears be created on May 19 to be donated to orphans.

Build-A-Bear Workshop has chosen the Joint Council on International Children's Services as their charity partner for this year. The bears will be on display for a short period of time in the Build-A-Bear stores, and will then be shipped to JCICS partner agencies to be sent on to the children those agencies serve and advocate for. The bears will be distributed to both children waiting for adoption in the United States and children waiting for adoption around the world.

The Stuffed with Hugs:Hugs Sweet Hugs program is designed to celebrate adoption and to help give a small gift to children in need.

If you have never gone to Build-A-Bear Workshop, here is an awesome opportunity to do something fun with your family, that is also for a good cause. We have taken our children and they have had so much fun "building" their stuffed animals. Taking your children to create these gifts for orphaned children would be a really great act of service, and a lot of fun too.

I have been in an orphanage and handed out small stuffed toys to the children, and the looks on the faces of these kids are just priceless. To give these kids, who truly have nothing, a new teddy bear all their own, is just awesome. All kids should have a teddy bear to cuddle at night when they're going to bed, and during the day when they are feeling lonely or sad.

So, do it! Get yourself to a Build-A-Bear store on May 19, and make a teddy bear (for free!) for a child in need.

To find a Build-A-Bear store in your area, you can use their store locater tool here. Although I could not find the details, I read that there would be a way to participate in this program online as well.