Help the Amelioration Bears Help Others

Welcome to the Amelioration Bears family!

What is the mission of your company or project?  

To provide a tangible healing object which connects people to the power of God. We make specific that the plush bears do not have power but are simply a representation used to explain what that power of God can do in someones mental, physical, emotional and spiritual life.

Describe the problem you are solving

Whether sick in a hospital, an orphan, displaced due to natural disasters, trauma, violence or other general times of discomfort, teddy bears have been distributed by many care and community funded projects. A hug from a child or adult brings a sense of comfort and reassurance to the person during feelings or fear, anxiety, sickness/illness, trauma, loss or worse. Teddy bears are thought to heal a person’s inner child since hugging a teddy bear releases serotonin and endorphin-both of which help with physical and mental pain. Teddy bears also have value to both adults and children because they can be hugged as needed and without making judgments; they are a reminder that someone somewhere cares about the hygge, a feeling of nurturement and a sense of hope from within. In Eastern and Western medicine Teddy bears were thought to help a person tap in to their healing from within them. Similar to acupressure, aromatherapy, meditation etc.

Part of the mental healing and development which teddy bears aide with imagination stimulation and development. 

What is the market size/opportunity? 

Who doesn't like plush animals? The market size and opportunity is UNLIMITED!!!! Each bear has been assigned a specific target ailment area and ailment as well as a target solution to those areas and ailments. Whether someone identifies with one of them currently or in the past, the Amelioration Bears are here for past, present and future mental, spiritual, emotional. Physical and emotional needs of individuals and groups. 

Ultimately that means that anyone and everyone can connect with one or all of our bears because we all may experience the feelings for long or short terms 

What is your company/product about and how does it solve the problem?   

To get a great understanding of why and how Amelioration Bears™ exist, it is important to share with you some important definitions of words used in their creation. The first is the word Revival. In addition to what you may have heard and referenced, a revival-a church service-a revival can be defined as either an instance or event of something being popular, active or important again. It is also a synonym for the strength of something or an improvement in its condition. Discovery is the process especially for the first time or finding something that was lost like information, a place or an object. Amelioration is an improvement or the act of making something better. So now if we define what Amelioration Bears™ are-they are plush animals in the shape of bears, reminding (discovery/rediscovery) you that you can be healed and delivered (revived).  

As far as LaDonna M. Smith could remember she has always had plush animals and toys as a kid…that is until her mother gave away her collection once she became an adult and moved out.

On December 25, 2012-Christmas day-LaDonna’s maternal grandmother Montrue went in and was admitted to Holy Cross hospital, in Silver Spring, MD. She went through various events while she was in the hospital. In February 2012 Grandma entered into a comatose state. LaDonna and her mother had practically moved into Grandma’s hospital room to be by her side every day for two weeks. Family and friends came to visit Grandma on a regular basis-so she was never completely alone.

While Grandma was nearing her last days, a dear friend of LaDonna’s mother and a hospice nurse Millie, brought and placed a chocolate scented plush bear on Grandma’s arms. Although her grandma wasn't able to fully communicate she could blink her eyes and breath air in and out of her body on her own and without a breathing tube. This meant that when she inhaled she smelled the scent of chocolate. Amelioration Bear creator LaDonna thought that the scented bear was a unique and purposeful gift.

Also, while LaDonna’s mom was in Bible College a few years earlier, she had a homework assignment to complete about the fruit of the spirit. This sparked LaDonna’s curiosity about the fruits especially since LaDonna had previously heard one of her former Pastors preach a search on Galatians chapter 5. The pastor gave the illustration of one fruit with 9 layers. A year later in 2013 after LaDonna’s grandmother transitioned the vision for a line of scented plush bears which correlates to the fruit of the spirit came while LaDonna was working a temporary job assignment as a receptionist and out of boredom she began working on the vision given to her by God for the 9 bears. LaDonna began getting specific design and structure for the bears in her mind. Soon she began researching her bear project and what process and procedures need to be in place to bring them to fruition. But due to financial lack the bears became a thought and a dream deferred. Instead LaDonna directed her focus on securing stable employment and worked on self publishing her books, sitting in the library for some times up to eight hours a day. In 2014 LaDonna had gotten employment and in 2019 LaDonna’s heart was pierced once again when her grandfather Edwin transitioned to Heaven. She was once again reminded about the bears again. She began to come across the files and notes that had emailed to herself and saved during her time at the temporary job. In March 2020 America and the world was hit with the hardest and most difficult pandemic of LaDonna’s lifetime-COVID 19. Life still had LaDonna distracted from her bears and brooks. her basketball team PG Valor and various other visions. The COVID pandemic restrictions caused LaDonna and others at her job to have to alternate working from home a week and in the office another. During the time at her actual job site-work was slow and LaDonna now had the income and time to research, organize and execute her bear project and with God’s instructions and directions the Amelioration Bears™ were birthed. 

Each bear’s name is a synonym of their purpose and smells like the fruit emblem on their shirt! 

Why are you seeking funding and how will you spend the funding?

After extensive research, we have located and secured amazing and minimal cost for manufacturing and production of the Amelioration Bears, accompanying books and packaging. 

We are seeking funding to assist in larger-scale marketing efforts, continued market research, product development, and to eventually grow our team, and expand our operations.

The funding will be used to fulfill the MOQ (Manufacturing Ordering Quantities) to successfully and officially launch our product, as a reinforcement for any other soft launch to include but not limited to campaigns surrounding pre-orders, and direct sales to family and friends.

Who is on your team?

Currently the Amelioration Bears team is operated solely by minority woman business owner LaDonna M. Smith, who designed and outsources production for the bears and books. However, due to anticipated growth and business development, will include a Human Resources, Marketing, Promotion and Sales departments; Administrative staff; a company lawyer; accountant and payroll staff, and once we expand to a corporate setting-additional staff of a janitorial/cleaning team and security team.

Thank You

Your support means the world to us! Without it, we would not be able to have the impact we do on our community and world –thank you for being an important part of our organization and helping us create positive change in the world.”

The thank you gifts for backers so that you will be fully appreciated by receiving an exclusively designed and never seen before Amelioration Bears t-shirt. These unisex shirts feature an original and custom design that can be proudly worn by their recipients. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your generous contribution. With supporters like you, we know we can achieve our goals.