15,000 Needy Kids Get a Toy ‘Just Because’

Christmas seldom comes early for abused and neglected children, social workers point out. Sometimes, it never comes at all.

That’s what made a recent truck delivery at the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services so unusual. The truck contained about 15,000 teddy bears that will be distributed to needy children mostly in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys. The bears’ donor wished to remain anonymous.

“Somebody’s got a big heart,” said a mother of four as she waited for the truck to arrive. “At this time of year, people are on vacation and things. They tend to forget. Then at Christmas there’s a big push.”

Susan Jakubowski, resource coordinator for the department’s Valley location, said no officials could recall a larger non-holiday gift.

“We’ve never been handed something to give to every child,” she said. “We declared this ‘Just Because Day.’ We’re giving them something and saying, ‘This is just for being you.’ ”

The department employs social workers who counsel families affected by domestic violence, drugs, the arrest of one parent and other crises. It estimates that the number of children receiving protective services countywide has grown from about 50,000 in 1990 to 72,000 this year.

Case workers joined administrators and families to unload the boxes of bears last week. One worker, Eva Yomtobian, said the bear donation would light up young faces--and more.

“This makes our relationships with the families so much better,” she said. “Now that we are providing services like this, even something like a little teddy bear, it opens an avenue for a much closer relationship.”