Shore Buddies teams up with American Cancer Society’s Love Notes Around the World

Customers purchased plush animals for children receiving cancer treatment and wrote them personalized notes.

Shore Buddies has teamed up with the American Cancer Society's Love Notes Around The World program to support the fight against childhood cancer. Customers of the adorable sea animal plush toys made from recycled plastic bottles got to pick out a Shore Buddie and write a special, personalized note to a child with cancer during a two-week period in June.

“The American Cancer Society approached us, and it was a really good fit for us,” says Shore Buddies’ Founder Malte Niebelschuetz. He started the San Diego-based business in 2014. “Besides the financial donation, it also allowed us to get stuffed animals into children’s hands, and the love notes encourage kids who are in cancer therapy.”

During the two-week campaign from June 5 to 11, Shore Buddies sent 150 of its stuffed animals to sick children. “It’s a connecting effort,” Neibelschuetz says.

Shore Buddies sent plush animals as a thank-you to those who gave to the cause, plus donated $5 from every purchase to the ACS.

Shore Buddies was conceived by Niebelschuetz when he first learned about a Patagonia jacket made completely from recycled soda bottles. He had just left a corporate job in Germany, moved to California — and he had an aha moment. Could the same be done to construct a stuffed animal?

Every Shore Buddies animal is made from six plastic bottles. They are sorted, cleaned and shredded into plastic flakes that are used to make the stuffing and yarn.

Importantly, education and give-back efforts such the American Cancer Society partnership are integral to Shore Buddies’ mission. Every Shore Buddie has a story that teaches children about making a positive environmental impact. “Education is awareness,” he says. Shore Buddies always gives one dollar from every purchase to an ocean-minded foundation.

Niebelschuetz says, “If there is any organization or group doing a local event that is fitting, they definitely should reach out to us because we are always looking for ways to give back.”

He adds, “We do have some power to make a difference in the actions we take on a daily basis.”