Bus Accident - Indiana Charter School

• Monday, March 19, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS - A school bus driver and a student were killed in a bus crash early Monday morning, and several others were injured.

Indianapolis Metro Police have identified the driver as Thomas Spencer II, 60, and the child as Donasty Smith, 5.

A total of ten students were taken to area hospitals. Four remain hospitalized, with two in critical condition. One student required surgery for a broken femur.

The school where the bus was headed, Lighthouse Charter School on Sloan Ave., released students early Monday, but classes will resume Tuesday. Grief counselors will be there for the students and 50 Hugs Across America teddy bears will help in the process.

Eyes Wide Open Internation - Helping Orphanage

• Monday, March 19, 2012

Nicole Bompart - Director

“A church approached us and asked if we would be willing to take on a building project for an orphanage in Port-A-Prince. A Haitian Pastor (Pastor Nae Nae) and his wife (Morina) had taken in 35-orphaned children after the earthquake. Since September of 2010, EWOI has been partnering with Pastor Nae Nae and Morina providing food and other resources. Pastor Nae Nae, Morina, their five children and the 35 orphans are currently living in the bottom level of a house. The house they rent has six very small rooms, an outdoor area for cooking, one bathroom and one shower. It is a very difficult living situation. These children need a permanent, safe home. “

Nicole’s husband, David, was stabbed to death a couple of weeks ago at a bank in Haiti. He was removing funds for the building of an orphanage to help the orphaned children Pastor Nae Nae has been housing. It is Nicole’s wish that this project continue …. Our teddies have arrived to help the children deal with their lives of loss. Hugs of Hope as they are called are a welcome sight to the children as well as their adult comforters.

Tornado Devastates Henryville, Indiana

• Monday, March 19, 2012

Vehicles damaged by a tornado lie in the parking lot of the Henryville Jr./Sr. High School in Henryville, Ind., Saturday, March 3, 2012. A string of violent storms demolished small towns in Indiana and cut off rural communities in Kentucky as an early season tornado outbreak killed more than 30 people, and the death toll rose as daylight broke on Saturday's search for survivors. The local American Red Cross will be placing Hugs teddies on the beds of 4 different shelters set up for the survivors of the town and will also be bringing bears to medical facilities for the injured.

Over 200 bears have arrived to help bring comfort to those who lost so much.

Tornado Destroys Harrisburg

• Saturday, March 03, 2012

At least ten people have reportedly been killed and more than 100 others injured following a tornado that tore through the southeastern Illinois town of Harrisburg.

As residents of the small town, which is located about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis, Mo., try to salvage what is left of their belongings, at least 100 others are being treated for injuries at area hospitals, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. A hospital employee told the paper that there are over 200 "totally crushed houses" throughout the area.

Visiting Nurses Association emergency responders were walking door to door to help residents. They will renew that effort on Tuesday with 150 Hugs teddies to bring a small measure of comfort to families that have lost so much.