NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) – Today we’re Cruisin’ Connecticut to John C. Daniels school in New Haven, where a class is taking part in the “Be Homeful Project” to end homelessness in Connecticut.

The group uses the story of Paddington Bear to show the importance of helping those without a home. Madeline Ravich is a Development Consultant at the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. Ravich explains how the “Be Homeful Project” works:

For every $25 donated to the Be Homeful Project, the Connecticut Realtors Foundation will donate one of these beautiful Paddington Bears to a child in shelter. Our goal is to raise enough bears is to give one to each child in shelter this year. That’s 2,000 bears, and because it’s $1,000 to prevent a family from becoming homeless… it’s enough to keep 50 families from ever having to be homeless in the first place.

6-year-old, Talya Hadari is a student at John C. Daniels school, and explains how she was inspired to help the cause:

It would be nice to help people who are homeless.

So after learning the lesson of the Be Homeful Project, she filled up Paddington’s favorite marmalade jar to help out.

It was 25 or 24 cents and we wrote 25 on a little piece of paper and we taped it on the jar. We gave it to the homeless shelter. My mom says that all the time, she says even if you are so little even if you are a kindergartner or a pre-k you can help people.

If you’d like to make a donation or learn how you can help the Be Homeful Project, click here.

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