LANSING, Mich. – More than 1,200 stuffed animals filled the playroom at the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Lansing this week, a soft army of support for children facing illness, injury and uncertainty.

The donation comes from Critters for Cuties, a local nonprofit that collects and distributes new stuffed animals to hospitalized children. Rebekah Russell started the collection effort as a member of the Keith Urban Fan Club before rebranding the initiative as Critters for Cuties.

The organization delivered 1,251 stuffed animals this year, far exceeding its previous efforts. The toys will be distributed across all hospital departments that serve children, from emergency rooms to inpatient units.

“We want kids to still feel like they’re a kid here in the hospital,” said Aileen Hansen, a Certified Child Life Specialist at UM Health-Sparrow Lansing. “Being able to have a toy, something they can love and hug, makes them feel a little bit more at home.”

Hansen said the need for comfort items is constant. Children in the hospital face unfamiliar rooms, unfamiliar people, medical procedures and pokes.

“All of these things are really stressful for them,” Hansen said. “When they are able to have something that is familiar and something they can hug and squeeze, that helps them with coping.”

Russell spent weeks at a time in the hospital with her son, who was born premature and faced multiple health issues. Now in his 30s and healthy, her son’s experience stayed with her. As a mom, she never forgot how a simple stuffed animal made her child feel during those difficult days.

“He would light up when he would receive something special, like a stuffed animal, when he was in the hospital,” Russell said. “I wanted to do something for other kids.”

She started collecting stuffed animals from friends and family in 2019 and recently formalized the effort as a nonprofit. The group’s motto: “Bringing hugs to healing hearts.”

Russell said the hospital’s Child Life team goes through stuffed animals quickly, which is why she wanted to make this year’s donation especially large. She mobilized her church, her employer and a network of individual donors. The donated animals will be given to children regardless of where they are treated in the hospital, from emergency to inpatient floors.

“When I hear from other parents whose child has received a stuffed animal, it definitely makes me want to get more,” she said. “I share those stories with people who are donating, and that makes them want to keep donating, too.”

People interested in donating can visit UofMHealthSparrow.org/Give.