2025 GIANT Teddy Bear Toss benefits Penn State Health Children’s Hospital
A remarkable display of generosity unfolded at the Jan. 5 Hershey Bears hockey game, where fans showered the ice with a huge number of teddy bears and other stuffed animals. These donations will soon translate into a generous donation to Penn State Health Children’s Hospital. The game marked the 23rd annual GIANT Teddy Bear Toss, a tradition that supports local charities and children’s organizations.
For the past 10 years, the Sweigart Family Foundation in Lancaster County has supported the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss by donating a dollar to Children’s Miracle Network at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital for every bear thrown onto the ice. This year, the foundation pledged that if fans threw at least 50,000 plush items, they would donate at least $55,000. Fans surpassed that number, reaching 102,343, and breaking the record for the number of bears and stuffed animals thrown onto the ice during a hockey game. The Sweigart Family Foundation donated $69,377, bringing their total donations to $400,000 since 2015.
More than 100 volunteers collected, counted and sorted the stuffed toys, which will be donated to more than 30 local organizations. Since the first event in 2001, the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss has collected 566,450 stuffed animals for local charities.
Miracle Child Gannon Kupko Jr. and his parents, Jennifer and Gannon Sr., from York Haven, York County, were interviewed on the ice during intermission. “Support from the community through Children’s Miracle Network gives families like ours a real sense of belonging and connection. It brings hope and healing as we navigate the journey of childhood illness and injury,” Jennifer Kupko said.
Learn more at cmnhershey.org.
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