Children at the Covenant Shelter in New London and Thames River Family Program in Norwich will be able to enjoy storytime with Paddington Bear this holiday season thanks to the “be homeful for the holidays” drive, led by the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, CT REALTORS Foundation, Citizens Bank and United Way.

During the drive, the group donated a Paddington Bear stuffed animal or book to a child in a local shelter for every $25 donated to the project. Money raised supports emergency funds for families with young children to stay housed, and 48 shelters around the state were supported this year. For more information, visit behomeful.org/give.