Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions.
If you have any additional questions, feel free to use the contact us form or email us at info@phoenixbears.org
There is a $25 donation required to get on our waitlist.
While Phoenix Bears are not free for us to make (it costs us an average of $55 each), donations help to cover the costs so we can provide the comfort of a personalized weighted Phoenix Bear to bereaved parents.
We cover the cost of the bear, materials, and shipping fees.
Add-ons (monogramming, angel wings, etc.) are completely optional and there is a small fee for each add-on.
Any bereaved parent whose baby passed away can apply for a Phoenix Bear. At this time there is a limit of 1 Phoenix Bear per baby. If you have multiple losses, you will need to fill out a form for each baby.
If you have suffered multiple early miscarriages you can either fill out one form per baby or, if you prefer, you can fill out one form and receive one 17" Phoenix Bear holding Itsy Bitsy Teeny Pheeney Bears to represent all of your losses (you would need to note this in the additional information entry as well as how many losses you want represented & your babies' information).
Phoenix Bears are customized to the weight of your baby. We offer weighted Phoenix Bears from 4"-22" and 0.8oz-20lbs (we do have 2.5"-4" unweighted bears for smaller babies who were miscarried).
Your Phoenix Bear size will be chosen for you depending on the size of your baby and the available base bears. We can not customize your Phoenix Bear to the length of your baby, only the weight.
To date, the longest anyone has been on the waitlist is 10 weeks.
It all depends on how many bereaved parents are on the waitlist in front of you and the available funds. We operate solely on donations. We can not start working on the next Phoenix Bear from the waitlist until we have a donated base bear and the funds to cover the modification/customization. We will work as fast as we can while maintaining high quality results.
We can not guarantee a certain time frame but will email you to notify you when you are officially off the waitlist. Once we start modifying and customizing your Phoenix Bear, it should take between 2-6 weeks to complete (depending on the customization you have requested). Once complete, we will email you the tracking number so you can track your shipment.
Yes! We offer an Express Pass for $40 + you will be purchasing your own base bear from our Phoenix Bears Amazon Wish List. This will bump you up on the waitlist and expedite your Phoenix Bear significantly.
Yes! We accept donations of any amount to help cover the cost of your customized Phoenix Bear. You can add this donation to your form. Whatever the amount you can afford to donate will be applied to your "account" for your Phoenix Bear. This will help expedite your process as when it is your turn on the waitlist, your request can be fulfilled faster since your bear will already be partially funded.
*It costs us an average of $55 to make each custom weighted Phoenix Bear*
Yes, if you purchase your base bear off our Phoenix Bears Amazon Wish List and have it sent directly to us with your full name and your Phoenix Bears order number. You will not be reimbursed for your base bear purchase.
Yes! You can donate a fully customized Phoenix Bear in memory of your baby who has passed away. You can also donate one in memory of another loved one or in honor of a loved one (such as for their birthday or Mother's Day). This donated Phoenix Bear will include a card with your Loved One's information on it (name, etc.). You will receive a digital certificate acknowledging your donation. If given in honor of someone, you can direct the certificate to them to let them know they have been honored in this way.
Yes! We do accept donations of brand new teddy bears of any size. While we prefer bears off our Amazon Wish List because these bears have been previously tested to their max weight capacity and proven to be good quality bears, we will accept other teddy bears as well.
Teddy bears must be brand new, not sitting around collecting dust (we need to be sure they are good for snuggling), clean, stain free and odor free.
Any bears received that we cannot use for any reason will be donated to local police or fire stations, or other local charities.
We accept the following donations:
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- Monetary donations (our greatest need)
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- Base bears from our Amazon Wish List
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- Flannel material of any color, pattern, or design (if you desire to send already cut for inserts, we can send you a pattern to use)
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- Fleece material (solid colors, soft colors, and small baby nursery type patterns)
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- Any items from our Amazon Wish List
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- Small loveys to attach to 17" bears
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- Crocheted or knit: size micro preemie, preemie, or newborn baby hats with teddy bear ears (to be donated to hospital for babies who passed away), very small blankets (and matching bow) for 17" bears to hold