Hershey Bears' 2026 Teddy Bear Toss Collects 81,796 Stuffed Animals

January 4, 2026

It was "Sweet Cuddly Mayhem" in the Sweetest Place on Earth today as the American Hockey League's (AHL) Hershey Bears, their fans, and corporate partners once again demonstrated an unrivaled level of generosity and kindness in one of the best promotions in all of sports. The Bears collected 81,796 teddy bears and stuffed animals during Sunday's GIANT Teddy Bear Toss, increasing the total number of teddy bears and stuffed animals collected to 648,246 since Hershey hosted its first Teddy Bear Toss event in 2001. Hershey's 102,343 teddy bears collected in 2025 remains a world hockey Teddy Bear Toss record.

The world-famous event, held during today's game against the Rockford IceHogs, sees fans throw stuffed animals onto the ice following Hershey's first goal of the game in what is a spectacle that truly must be seen. Hershey defenseman Louie Belpedio scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal at 2:55 of the first period to give the Bears a 1-0 lead and ignite the downpour. The stuffed animals collected will now be distributed to over 60 local charities as part of the club's Hershey Bears Cares program, where they will go to children in need. 

As part of the club's Hershey Bears Cares initiative, which showcases the philanthropic activities and volunteer efforts of Bears players and staff members throughout the community, teddy bears and stuffed animals are collected and donated to more than 60 local and regional organizations, including Harrisburg School District, Gigi's Playhouse Lancaster, Bethesda Mission, LaMancha Animal Rescue, Hospice of Central PA, Lancaster County Food Hub, Milton Hershey School, and Elizabethtown Fire Department, and donated to children in need.

For the past decade, the Sweigart Family Foundation of Lancaster County has made the Teddy Bear Toss even more impactful by donating $1 to Children's Miracle Network at Golisano Children's Hospital at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for every animal thrown on the ice. This year, The GIANT Company stepped in to honor the late Jeff Sweigart, a devoted Bears fan and longtime season ticket holder, to keep his passion alive. The GIANT Company has pledged a $100,000 donation to Children's Miracle Network at Golisano Children's Hospital at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

The Bears went on to earn a 5-2 win over Rockford in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,550. Hershey has improved its record to 17-3-0-2 along with two ties in Teddy Bear Toss games hosted by the club. The team also hosted a drive-thru event in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.