Meet Nina Manuel of Nina’s Share-A-Bear in Rome

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Manuel.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my first fundraising project in September, 2011. My mom was telling me about a co-worker’s mom who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and was not covered by private insurance or Medicare. She needed money to pay for radiation treatments and surgery. I am now in college and pursuing a career in nursing so I can continue to make a difference.

Nina’s Share-A-Bear started as an idea to raise money to purchase stuffed bears to share with sick kids so they would have something to hug while going through their illness. This evolved into making homemade bears. With the support and help of my parents and other family friends I started “Nina’s Share-A-Bear”.

For every bear that I make and sell, I make and donate a second bear to an organization that works with children. My bears are used by the roadrunners when they are transporting children to a Shriner’s Hospital. I am also use a portion of my sale to raise funds for our local Relay for Life event and various other things. This year, I also used a portion of my proceeds to raise money for my brother to go on a medical mission trip in Peru.

I have sold over 1,675 bears since April, 2013. This is giving me the opportunity to provide 1,675 smiles to children and their families. My goal is to bring a smile to the faces and hearts of everyone that is touched by my bears. It also makes me smile knowing that my bears are making people happy. It is fun to watch people talk about the bears when they see them. They often remind them of a childhood memory or a memory of a loved one.

I also make “Memory” bears that help people get through difficult times. These bears are typically made out of an article of their loved ones clothing. This gives them another opportunity to honor and remember their loved ones.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
One of the biggest challenges has been getting the donated bears into hospitals due to some of their regulations. It took me almost two years to get our local hospital to approve my bears for donations. However, it was definitely worth the wait, they are so happy to see new bears when I drop them off.

Another struggle is managing this, along with school work. I have a lot of help from my family to make this possible.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Nina’s Share-A-Bear – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We make handmade teddy bears. For each bear that I sell, I make and donate a second bear to a hospital or to an organization that specializes in assisting children.

I am most proud of being able to bring a smile to a child that is sick or in need. Over the past five years, my business has become very well known in our town. We also do craft shows around the area and it is really neat when people come visit us because they have purchased from us before, or like the cause.

Our local Toys for Tots organization looks forward to the bears we bring them each year. They service our county and two other surrounding counties.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I want to continue with the business so that I can bring more smiles to others. I am in the stage of my life where I am trying to choose the correct career path. The bears will definitely fit in to what I choose and I plan to continue with them. My goal is to go into a career where I can help kids, I am just not sure what that looks like right now.

Pricing:

• All bears are $30 plus shipping

Contact Info:

• Address: 3205 Garden Lakes Blvd
  Rome, GA 30165
• Website: www.shareabear.me
• Phone: 706-766-4141
• Email: info@shareabear.me
• Facebook: https://business.facebook.com/Ninas-Shareabear-195665437257168/?business_id=447965122027197
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NinasShareABear?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

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