Grey Bears

The Grey Bears community is made up of people from all walks of life who come together to support our mission of nourishing seniors across Santa Cruz County. 💛

Our team recently spotted this piece of artwork displayed on the bulletin board in our Healthy Food Warehouse. Not only did it bring a smile to our faces, but it also beautifully captures the heart of Grey Bears: people coming together around food and helping distribute it to neighbors in our community who need it most. 🍎

Thank you, Jeff Caplan, for not only creating this beautiful piece of art, but also for believing in our mission and helping us fulfill it through your dedication as a volunteer.

Tomorrow is Grey Bears’ Second Saturday Sale! 🛍️

Looking for a great deal and a way to give back? Stop by Grey Bears and check out our Second Saturday Sale, where everything is 50% off! 🏷️

Your purchases help divert reusable items from our landfills while supporting our Healthy Food Program, which feeds over 6,000 seniors in our community every week!

Shop smart, support local seniors, and help the planet, one purchase at a time! ♻️🛍️💙

At Grey Bears, we’re always looking for ways to keep items out of landfills and in the hands and homes of people in our community. 🩵

A few years ago, Holly, a NICU nurse found a special way to give new life to “Beanie Babies” which are small plush animals, popularized in the mid 90s as collectibles. Holly connected with our thrift store volunteers and let them know that Beanie Babies, these once-loved toys could serve a meaningful purpose: helping hold tiny bottles in place to feed premature babies in the NICU. 🐣

Fun fact, Beanie Babies unlike other stuffed animals are under stuffed on purpose, making it easier to pose them and keep them in a set position, making them the perfect baby bottle holding assistant. 🍼

Although we don’t typically take toy donations, our volunteers now know to collect and hold the Beanie Babies that sneak in for Holly to pick up and deliver to local hospitals.

It’s a beautiful reminder that generosity can travel in unexpected directions. What may seem like a nostalgic keepsake for some can become a practical, comforting tool in a hospital setting. 💝