Stuffed toys send messages of love

By The Acorn Staff | on August 11, 2023

SOMEONE CARES—Crystal Stratton, the Ventura County Fire Department community engagement manager, collects an armful of stuffed animals for volunteers to assemble in packages and deliver to foster kids during a toy drive Aug. 3 at the fire department headquarters in Camarillo. MICHAEL COONS/Acorn Newspapers

Dozens of volunteers gathered at Ventura County Fire Department headquarters with a shared goal in mind: to package 1,000 lavender-filled Xander Friends toys for children in local foster care.

“We all have a heart to serve,” said Fire Chief Dustin Gardner at the Aug. 3 event. “Partnering with an organization whose mission is to provide hope and peace to those in difficult times in their lives is in direct alignment with our vision of delivering the highest level of public service through a team effort.”

Xander Friends are microwavable stuffed animals that are scented, weighted and huggable. According to Lavender Life Company, which markets the toys, lavender buds help to reduce the stress-inducing hormone known as cortisol. After being microwaved, the stuffed animals stay warm for 20 minutes or more. For every Xander toy sold, one is donated to a child in foster care, the company says on its website.

The stuffed toys gathered by the fire department will be distributed to children in the Ventura County Children and Family Services system, child support services, as well as a couple of foster and adoption nonprofits.

“Being able to work with all the different partner agencies, we’re able to make sure all foster kiddos within the county receive one,” said Crystal Stratton, the Ventura County Fire Department community engagement manager.

Alex Miller, the Ventura County Human Services Agency community services coordinator, said there are about 700 children under their care.

“And there are so many families in Ventura County who are in need,” she said. “They’re in need of anything that is available for them. The toy provides something for the kids to hang on to.”

Kelsey Myers, who helped coordinate the fire department’s partnership with the Michigan based Lavender Life Company, presented the idea to Stratton after her daughter took comfort in one of the company’s stuffed animals. This is the first time the company has had involvement on the West Coast.

“She was actually given a Xander Friend as a gift and named it Kiki,” Myers said. “She was having trouble sleeping and was having acid reflux. She got this (toy) and everything changed.”

Many foster youths who struggle with trauma or are going through a difficult time can find the same solace in the stuffed animals.

“There’s a heart on each (toy), and it’s filled with lavender from the (Michigan) farm,” Myers said. “There is someone out there who loves them and cares for them. That’s the biggest message.”

With many helping hands, volunteers began grabbing bunches of Xander Friends out of bags and wrapping them up in a pouch with a fire department sticker, ready to be delivered to a new home.

“If you’re able to bring even one small, bright light and piece of joy to a kiddo in care, it makes a world of difference,” Stratton said.