Love for Lambs, a nonprofit in Delano that helps provide comfort to children by giving them a stuffed animal during times of crisis such as a car accident or fire recently went on a shopping spree all thanks to a grant provided to them by the Wonderful Company.
"This is something different for us. It's super special because we were able to get a grant from the Wonderful Company. And, last year, if you have been following us, we were able to donate 300 stuffed animals but with their donation this year, we're going to double it," explained Megan Palomo, executive director for Love for Lambs.
Palomo posted a video on their Instagram recently showing them use the funds from the grant to purchase 200 more stuffed animals from Walmart to add to their annual total. In all, they were able to get 300 animals with those grant funds.
Palomo said the idea for Love for Lambs came after her family was in a car crash in 2014 and a paramedic comforted their young son with a stuffed animal. She also said after that happened she and her husband decided to make sure all first responders have stuffed animals they can use to help children in times of crisis.
"It all goes back to, they deserve that comfort of a stuffed animal, to really calm them down in these traumatic experiences. Whether it's something medical that is in an accident or when an officer is out on a home visit, which is something we got a lot of feedback on. Officers like having that to use. Something else that's attached to these animals, is a prayer and our number in case they ever want to reach out and get some additional wellness support."
Palomo said these recent animals will go to the Delano Police Department, Kern County Fire station's 34 and 37, Delano Ambulance and the Kern County Sheriff's Office.
