Stitched with love: Allied’s memory bears offer comfort to grieving families in Northeast Pennsylvania

Stitched with love: Allied’s memory bears offer comfort to grieving families in Northeast Pennsylvania 
WVIA News - PBS/NPR, Scranton, PA; by Lydia McFarlane; 10/27/25 
Barbara Rushinski received a bear made of her partner’s pajamas after he passed in hospice care at Allied Services. She was so moved, she put her sewing skills to good use and joined the team of volunteers making the bears for grieving families in Northeast Pennsylvania. ... Allied offers its memory bears to grieving families whose loved ones died in hospice. ... Joyce Wizda started the program at Allied more than six years ago when she joined the healthcare system as a social worker. ... She estimates the volunteers make about 150 bears a year. ... Wizda encourages families to send in clothing items from their loved one’s closet to ease their grieving journey.