As students in the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) prepare to return to class, they will find a new source of comfort on campus, weighted teddy bears designed to help ease stress and anxiety.

Earlier this week, PUSD received dozens of boxes of Comfort Cub therapeutic bears, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Rachelle Touzard, Director I with LACOE’s Student Support Services, who helped coordinated the district-wide distribution.

She first learned about the bears at a wellness conference and thought of them immediately when her team was deployed to provide crisis support after the wildfire. Their gentle weight and soft texture can help students, especially those directly affected by the fires, manage heightened emotions, while also providing grounding support for staff members coping with the emotional aftermath.

Dr. Touzard witnessed firsthand the fear and uncertainty among both students and staff in the days following the fire. Knowing the bears could provide a tangible source of comfort and help regulate emotions, she reached out to Comfort Cub to request a small donation for the most impacted schools. Instead, they offered enough bears for every school in the district.

Helping Students Cope 
John Maynard, principal at Don Benito Fundamental School in Pasadena, picked up the bears on Wednesday. He said 77 homes in the school’s neighborhood were destroyed and several students lost their homes. Many families were deeply affected by the Eaton Fire. He said having a few bears on campus for kids to hold, especially for younger ones, is a small but powerful way to help students find some comfort. Maynard plans to keep the bears in the principal’s office, main office, psychologist’s office and their turnaround room.

The simple gift of a bear, made possible by Dr. Touzard’s outreach, will continue to comfort and calm students and staff, serving as a lasting reminder that they are seen, supported and not alone.