TRA’s Teddy Bears for Kids Program Donates Bears to Mercy Medical Center in Iowa!

 

September 8, 2026

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On September 4, 2026, the Theodore Roosevelt Association’s Teddy Bears for Kids Program donated teddy bears to Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where they will provide comfort to children receiving care in the hospital’s Emergency Department and pediatric units.

The connection began when Steve Sauer, a Security Officer at Mercy Medical Center and former National Park Service ranger, reached out to the TRA about bringing the program to Cedar Rapids.

“I went from looking after black bears to handing out teddy bears—a change I do not regret at all,” Steve shared.

Since 1986, the TRA’s Teddy Bears for Kids Program has delivered more than 90,000 teddy bears to children in hospitals across the country, providing comfort and companionship during difficult moments.

We’re proud to welcome Mercy Medical Center to the Teddy Bears for Kids family and continue this longstanding TRA tradition of service. To learn more about the Teddy Bears for Kids Program, visit www.theodoreroosevelt.org/teddybears.