Vermont woman delivers teddy bears to children in trauma zones around the world

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (Aging Untold) — Nina Meyerhof has spent decades working on behalf of children in crisis, traveling to more than 120 countries — many of them conflict zones — and distributing thousands of teddy bears to children dealing with trauma.

Meyerhof, 83, moved to Vermont from New York in the early 1970s. She went on to serve as special education director for 10 schools and founded an organization called Children of the Earth.

“The idea is to see yourself as a global citizen, recognizing the issues in the world today and working together to make a better world,” Meyerhof said.

Teddy bears after 9/11

Meyerhof said the teddy bear effort began on Sept. 11, 2001, when she was at the United Nations and witnessed the attack firsthand.

“I was at the U.N., and I saw the building come down,” she said. “And I walked downtown, and I thought, if this is the revolution, I’m here.”

She went on television and asked for stuffed animals for children traumatized by the attacks and a woman from Oklahoma responded by bringing a busload of bears.

“I saw those kids grab those bears and hold them like, you know, holding onto life,” Meyerhof said.

From New York to Ukraine

The effort has continued for more than two decades. Meyerhof said she traveled to Ukraine during the first week of the war alongside two friends, helping mothers and children cross the border.

“We got 2,000 teddy bears,” she said.

Rooted in family history

Meyerhof said her commitment to children in crisis is rooted in her family’s history. Both of her parents were Holocaust survivors from Germany.

“All their family was killed,” she said. “And, of course, they had a lot of sorrow. But on the other hand, they cared about humanity.”

With what she has seen, Meyerhof said she still sees the good in people.

“I like to stand up for what I believe and build new,” Meyerhof said. “I don’t like to hold on to negativity.”

Winding down travel, not purpose

At 83, Meyerhof said her days of traveling to danger zones are winding down, but her desire to help others is not.

“And it’s up to us to each use your life well,” she said.

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