Our Story

When you are little and alone, abused and neglected, going to court and listening to adults and strangers fight over you can be very scary -- even if everyone is trying to protect you. In an effort to bring a moment of joy to the most vulnerable of boys and girls in such traumatic times, the judges of Miami-Dade County gifted them with a bear. The furry friends made an unbearable situation a little brighter and elicited smiles and hope.

But, because of severe budget cuts, the dollars given to the courts to buy the bears were cut in half. So the Chief Judge of the Juvenile Court, the "Mama Bear", the Honorable Cindy Lederman, was very sad.

Then one day, she met CBS4's Chief Investigative Reporter Michele Gillen, the "Curious Bear." The Judge told Michele the story of the soon-to-be missing bears. The tale prompted Michele to imagine a world where, at minimum, all the hurt children could get the bears they needed. An thus, Adopt a Bear was born. Follow the links on this site to learn more about what we do, and how you can contribute.

Michele Gillen

Michele Gillen is chief investigative reporter at WFOR-TV, Miami, Florida. Gillen, who has served as an anchor and investigative reporter on both network and local television news, is the recipient of 28 National Academy of Television Arts and Science (NATAS) Emmy awards, the Columbia DuPont Silver Baton, the Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative Reporting, three Green Eyeshade Awards, and has been honored twice by the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television. Read her full profile on the web site of WFOR-TV by clicking HERE.