OUR PEOPLE
Bears Who Care was founded by Tad and Kari Schmitz in 2008, who were motivated to bring a charity to life by some truly memorable family members.
The books are inspired by Kari’s parents, Jon and Nancy Kron, who were dedicated and well-respected teachers with a lifelong passion for reading. Nancy, in particular, was a remedial reading teacher who spent most of her life helping children who had difficulty learning to read.
The books are inspired by Kari’s parents, Jon and Nancy Kron, who were dedicated and well-respected teachers with a lifelong passion for reading. Nancy, in particular, was a remedial reading teacher who spent most of her life helping children who had difficulty learning to read.
Ted Schmitz, Tad’s grandfather, was a loving and wise man, whose spirit and name is the foundation for the teddy bear. Tad and Kari’s wish is to establish a powerful connection between reading and caring, which will benefit those in a true time of need and leave a legacy for future generations.