Teddy Bears Get Final Hugs Before Trips to New Homes : Gifts: Saticoy schoolchildren donate their toys to needy families in L.A. But the sacrifices don’t come without tears.

More than 300 children--some with tears in their eyes--parted with their teddy bears Wednesday in the cause of Christmas.

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For the last four years, children at Saticoy’s Sacred Heart School have brought the stuffed animals to school to brighten the Christmas of needy children served by St. Vibiana’s Church in Downtown Los Angeles.

Sacred Heart’s teddy bears are part of a larger effort of about 60 other schools, which pledge items ranging from diapers to toothbrushes for St. Vibiana’s families.

On Wednesday, Sacred Heart pupils sat on the floor of the school’s auditorium, clutching tiny, newborn-sized bears and bears almost as big as themselves. The toys came in shades of brown, white, black, pink, purple and gray. Some sported ribbons; others were dressed like Santa in red and white.

The diverse bears were destined for children from the poorest of poor families.

Msgr. Terry Fleming, chief administrator of the Archdiocese serving Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, drove 60 miles to his former parish to gather the bears.

St. Vibiana’s assists about 300 families--with about 1,500 children--annually, he said. The families often live eight to a 10-by-15-foot room, and many have a monthly income of only about $600, $400 of which goes toward rent, Fleming said.

Fleming and Sacred Heart Principal Sister Mary Francelia told the children that giving toys to people they had never met was more beautiful than giving to family members, because their gifts were unconditional--they would get nothing in return.

“It’s easy to give to people you love,” Fleming said. “It’s hard to give to people you don’t know.”

Worthy as the children were of Christmas cheer, some of the kindergartners had become attached to their cuddly friends, and were misty-eyed when they parted.

Francelia told the children to think of how happy the bears would make their new owners and to pray for the families.

“Now, give that teddy bear a great big hug,” she said before the children toted their gifts to the stage, where the bears were lined up for a group photo before heading south.

Fleming said each bear will be gift-wrapped and delivered along with other Christmas goodies to needy families Dec. 17.