Young Change Makers Promoting Climate Action: Why and How Hannah Hoobyar Of ‘Project Bear Hugs’ Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Monica Sanders
Line up distribution before collecting anything. This is key to being successful. If you do not have it lined up, you can end up stuck with donations and no means to get them to the people who need them.
We are standing at a critical juncture in our fight against climate change, and it is heartening to see young leaders rising to this enormous challenge. Across the globe, they are initiating change, voicing their concerns, and catalyzing action toward sustainable solutions for our planet. These young change-makers are not just the future; they are the driving force of the present. As part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Hannah Hoobyar.
Hannah Hoobyar is the founder of Project Bear Hugs, a nonprofit that provides support, supplies, and comfort to victims of natural disasters. Though still a student at Capella University, Hoobyar has already embraced a myriad of roles throughout her journey of entrepreneurship, including being a dancer, TV-show host, and author. Recognized as one of the Top 100 Influential People in Reno at just 15 years old and honored as Philanthropist of the Year by Flight to Freedom at 18, she embodies a new generation of leaders grounded in activism and social impact. As a graduate of both the Clinton Global Initiative University and The National Society of Leadership and Success programs, she has a proven commitment to fostering leadership skills and making a difference with her platform.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I grew up in Reno, Nevada, right down the street from my grandparents where I spent Sunday nights having dinner with them. The neighborhood I grew up in was filled with all the kids I went to school with, and the school was actually down the street from me as well. Even though we were right off a highway, we would walk across it to the corner store and get snacks in the summer. Our neighborhood was always really close. Up the street was my parents’ best friend, so we spent an awful lot of time there. It was pretty much my second home. I would do homework there, and we would spend most weekends with friends over at their house. I remember going to all my older sister’s soccer practices and hanging out with her and her friends.
Is there a particular book or organization that made a significant impact on you growing up? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
When I was eight years old, I started my first business, teaching yoga to kids. My grandpa and mom took me to the Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer Superconference. Mind you, this was a conference for adults, and here I was, an eight year old walking around handing out business cards to everyone. This event was the pivotal moment for me and thinking big about the kinds of impacts people can have on each others’ lives.
How do you define “Making A Difference”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
“Making a Difference” to me is all about leaving a positive impact, no matter how big or small, in the lives of others or in the world around us. It’s about contributing in ways that uplift, inspire, or improve the lives of individuals, communities, or even the environment. My organization Project Bear Hugs is a great example of this, where we make a difference in the lives of those affected by disasters by giving them a sense of comfort during their hardest times.
Ok super. Let’s now jump to the main part of our interview. You are currently working on promoting climate action. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change in our world today?
There has been a huge uptake in disasters because of climate change. Statistically speaking, a natural disaster has occurred, on average, every day for the last 50 years. There is also a similarity with how disasters are handled. After a disaster, there is a focus on the people who either own houses or the named renters. But there are other people who live in these homes who are also affected, and often forgotten about. Children, the elderly, and pets are often an afterthought, and aren’t given any sort of support after a disaster hits. That’s why Project Bear Hugs focuses on those vulnerable, overlooked populations, especially in marginalized communities. They are forgotten, and those communities are often hit the hardest. So we give them Comfort in Chaos kits that are filled with items to help bring comfort such as blankets, pillows, personal hygiene items, activities for all age ranges, and stuffed animals.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause? How old were you when you made this decision?
It was 2013 when the tornadoes in Moore, Oklahoma hit. I heard a story of a no-fly zone over the elementary school, so they could hear the kids calling for help. I thought to myself, “I have to do something.” I went through some really hard times growing up, and I always had a stuffed animal, so I thought I would collect some and send them. Little did I know that within 48 hours I would have 2,800 stuffed animals, pallets from chewy.com and diapers.com, a Peterbilt truck donated. We filled the truck and drove it to hand deliver everything, and that was the starting point for Project Bear Hugs.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. We don’t always get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?
It was our last day in Norman before we headed back home. We were standing in the parking lot of the hotel where we were staying when we ran into this woman who had lost everything in the tornados. She explained to us her family’s experience. Her daughter was about five years old, and she was in the school when the EF5 tornado went through and destroyed her school, killing eight of her classmates and one of her teachers. She was shaken to say the least. We were there about five weeks after it had happened. Her mom was telling us that her daughter had not spoken a word, laughed, said “I love you” or anything since it had happened. She was outside, and I asked her if she would come with me so I could give her a stuffed animal. We went, and she got to pick one out, which was a dragon. After a few minutes, she started to warm up. Ten minutes later she was laughing, running around, hugging me, talking to her parents and was back to being herself. That is why I do what I do.
What are some of the things you did, or steps you took to get started?
I tend to be kind of an anomaly when it comes to doing something I want. An idea comes to mind, and then I just act on it. There is no thought process between the idea and acting. I had the idea for stuffed animals so I started calling people. I remember my mom went upstairs, and she was gone for maybe five minutes. When she came back down, I was on the phone with the governor’s office.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson or take away you learned from that?
The biggest lesson I learned was everyone wants to give, so it is important to be very clear about what is being collected. When I initially started collecting I told everyone that anything was good to donate. Little did I know that people would drop off literal dirty clothing, clothing that was falling apart, expired food, furniture (and keep in mind that these efforts are to help people affected by disasters, so furniture is in bad taste), alongside other unsavory things. So we now are very clear that everything has to be new and we don’t need clothing or food!
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
Oh my goodness, yes! Everyone who supported me in Reno, news stations, local and national companies, our partners like Peterbilt and of course my family! We turned 10 in May, so our partnership with Peterbilt has been ongoing for over a decade, which is so amazing! We have so many cheerleaders!
Without saying specific names, can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
There was a gentleman in Louisiana after the 100-year floods. We were in a smaller town where they had not received a lot of help. There was a crowd of people around our truck. We gave him a backpack that was filled with items. He told us that his house made it out okay, but all his friends’ houses hadn’t. He was sleeping on the porch of his friend’s house so he wouldn’t be the only person in his circle who was able to sleep in a house. Then a little boy came up to us who had lost everything. He gave his backpack to this little boy, and we only had a little girl bag left, which the gentleman took instead.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
- They can recognize that this is a growing problem. Even after these events are no longer in the news cycle, victims of these natural disasters still need help for a long time afterward. Regardless of whether you see it or hear about it, support is still needed.
- Lend their voice year round to organizations that are trying to make a difference. It’s important to keep disaster relief in mind year round, not just when we are watching it on TV 24/7.
- Look for smaller, grassroots organizations to support. Many of us operate on a very slim margin and pay for things like transportation out of our own pockets. We all know the big nonprofits; don’t forget about the smaller ones.
Fantastic. Here is the main question of the interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
1. There will be people who will shame you for helping victims of disasters. I have had officials call me and say that they are in the area, and they have enough items, so I don’t need to send anything. Mind you, they are typically in the large cities where they do receive a lot of items. It’s the places around the center point that don’t get the resources they need.
2. Line up distribution before collecting anything. This is key to being successful. If you do not have it lined up, you can end up stuck with donations and no means to get them to the people who need them.
3. The last thing people need after they have lost everything is used items. To this day, I still get asked if a used item can be donated. Our definition of gently used and other people’s definition are very different.
4. Not everyone will greet you with open arms. There are many people who can tend to be a bit rude when you visit disaster areas — and understandably so. For many, this is the worst thing they’ve ever experienced.
5 . There is more competition in the non-profit sector than one would think. I personally have been criticized about what we do as well as my organization. There is a very large organization who has made it clear they will not work with me or support me because I collected more than they did.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
Start small, dream big. Your actions matter, and your generation has the power to shape things up for the better. Plus, the feeling you get from making a positive impact? It’s like a high-five from the universe. Trust me, you won’t want to miss out on that!
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
There is a long list, however I would say Al Gore or Oprah Winfrey would be top two on my list!
How can our readers follow you online?
You can follow Project Bear Hugs and Hannah Hoobyar for all the happenings or go to www.projectbearhugs.com.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org
Young Change Makers Promoting Climate Action: Why and How Hannah Hoobyar Of ‘Project Bear Hugs’ Is… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.