Six hundred stuffed teddy bears from a Wylie ISD elementary school landed at Children's Medical Center Plano on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Birmingham Elementary third-grade teacher Katy Byrd organized the donation through the Build-A-Bear Hearts 'n' Hugs Fund. The foundation provided all 600 bears Byrd requested, a response she called bigger than expected.

The project started last school year when Birmingham Elementary Principal Erica Brunson began looking for ways the school could give back. The choice of Children's Plano was personal. A Birmingham student had received care at the hospital during a medical crisis, and staff there had gone out of their way to comfort him.

"Children's Medical Center Plano loved on one of our own Birmingham Bears during a medical crisis, showering him with toys, gifts, and kindness while he was in the hospital," Brunson said, according to Wylie ISD.

"We wanted to return that kindness by donating 'Birmingham Bears' so other children facing illness can have a little touch of home to cuddle and comfort them."

Byrd, who worked at a Build-A-Bear store during college, reached out to the foundation with a proposal to donate bears on the school's behalf. She said she wanted to brighten a few kids' days but was blown away by the foundation's generosity when it agreed to all 600.

Half of the bears will go to oncology patients. The other 300 will be distributed to children receiving care elsewhere in the hospital.

With more than 500 students enrolled at Birmingham, the donation works out to roughly one bear per student, Byrd said.

Students added a personal touch before the delivery. They signed a banner reading "A Bear Hug from Birmingham," which was presented alongside the bears.

Byrd, Brunson, Assistant Principal Joannie Gragert and Counselor Katie Ray met with Children's Plano staff on Sept. 8 to make the presentation official. The delivery fell one day before National Teddy Bear Day on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

Build-A-Bear Foundation, which runs the Hearts 'n' Hugs Fund, reports it has donated more than 2 million bears globally. The company also launched a National Teddy Bear Day campaign running Sept. 9 through Sept. 16, according to a company news release. Build-A-Bear Foundation pledged to donate a bear to a children's hospital for every dollar customers contribute in stores or online.