Blue Line Bears, Inc.
Blue Line Bears is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates custom handmade teddy bears from fallen law enforcement officers' uniforms and delivers them free to surviving children and families across the US, Europe, and Afghanistan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersFort Myers, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Blue Line Bears, Inc. does
Blue Line Bears is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2016 by then-14-year-old Megan O'Grady, daughter of a police officer, in Cape Coral, Florida. The organization creates personalized, handmade keepsake teddy bears from the uniforms of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, delivering them at no cost to the officers' surviving children and immediate family members. Since founding, motivated by the July 7, 2016 Dallas police-officer shooting, Blue Line Bears has delivered over 1,500 custom hand-sewn bears across the United States, Europe, and Afghanistan (FL DACS registration CH69521).
The core product is a custom handmade teddy bear constructed in eight parts (head, two ears, body, two arms, two legs) and incorporating department patches, insignia, embroidered pieces, and buttons from the fallen officer's uniform shirt. Each bear requires 9-10 hours of labor and is finished with a St Michael's Medal around its neck and a certificate bearing the officer's name and the bear's number. Production is centered in a single shop location at 3032 Santa Barbara Blvd Unit 209, Cape Coral, FL, staffed by a small team of seamstresses (1-10 employees) operating Tuesday through Thursday. The organization does not charge families or departments.
Revenue is generated through three streams: tax-deductible donations processed via a Network for Good donation portal, merchandise sales through an online shop, and tiered sponsorship packages (monthly, annual, and gala-level). The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer, relying on department referrals, family liaisons, and an online Bear Application. Marketing is driven by earned media (TODAY Show, CBS News, Fox News, ABC News, Law Enforcement Today Podcast), organic social on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and annual fundraising galas such as the 3rd Annual Bears & Badges Gala held February 25, 2023 at The Westin Cape Coral Resort. The organization operates without parent-company or private-equity backing and is governed by a board of directors that includes survivors and family members of fallen officers.
Blue Line Bears, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blue Line Bears, Inc.
- Legal name
- Blue Line Bears Inc.
- Website
- https://bluelinebears.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Blue Line Bears is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates custom handmade teddy bears from fallen law enforcement officers' uniforms and delivers them free to surviving children and families across the US, Europe, and Afghanistan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Blue Line Bears, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Myers
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Blue Line Bears, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: Blue Line Bears is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on donations to fund operations. Donations help cover the cost of making and delivering bears to families of fallen officers.
- Shop Sales: Proceeds from all shop sales are used in making and delivering bears to families of fallen Law Enforcement Officers.
- Sponsorships: Monthly, annual, and gala sponsorships are available at all levels to help ensure continued operations and delivery of bears to survivors worldwide.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time | Free bears for qualifying families |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Blue Line Bears, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blue Line Bears creates personalized, handmade keepsake teddy bears from the uniforms of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, sewing each bear into 8 parts (head, 2 ears, body, 2 arms, 2 legs) and incorporating the officer's department patches, insignia, embroidered pieces, and shirt buttons. Each bear takes 9-10 hours of skilled labor, is finished with a St Michael's Medal and a personalized certificate, and is delivered at no cost to qualifying immediate family members in the United States, Europe, and Afghanistan. The organization is funded by donations, sponsorships, and proceeds from an online merchandise shop.
Product overview
Blue Line Bears is a nonprofit organization offering custom handmade keepsake teddy bears for children of fallen law enforcement officers. The core product is the Custom Handmade Keepsake Bears, which are personalized using materials from the fallen officer's uniform. The organization also operates a Shop where merchandise proceeds support the mission, and accepts donations through a donation portal. All bears are handcrafted with 9-10 hours of labor per bear, incorporating department patches, insignia, and buttons from the officer's uniform, with no cost to families.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Custom Handmade Keepsake Bears Personalized, handmade teddy bears created from the uniforms of fallen law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty or by suicide. Each bear is sewn into 8 parts (head, 2 ears, body, 2 arms, 2 legs) and incorporates department patches, insignia, embroidered pieces, and buttons from the officer's shirt. Bears require 9-10 hours of skilled sewing labor each, are finished with a St Michael's Medal and a personalized certificate, and are provided at no cost to qualifying immediate family members via online Bear Application or email request.
- Blue Line Bears Merchandise Shop Online shop where branded merchandise is sold to the general public. All proceeds from shop sales are directed toward making and delivering bears to families of fallen law enforcement officers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1500 custom hand sewn bears delivered across the United States, Europe, and Afghanistan
Companies that use Blue Line Bears, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Blue Line Bears, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Blue Line Bears, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP)minorODMP is featured on the Blue Line Bears website footer as a partner organization supporting fallen officers and their families.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Blue Line Bears, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Build-A-Bear Workshop: Large publicly traded custom plush retailer offering personalized stuffed animals — same product category (custom plush toys) at vastly greater scale and with a commercial model.
- Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS): Major nonprofit providing grief support to families of America's fallen military and first responders — analogous survivor-support model at significantly larger scale, demonstrating the addressable peer market structure.
- Tunnel to Towers Foundation: Large nonprofit supporting families of fallen first responders (firefighters, police, military) — operates at much greater scale but addresses overlapping grief-support and family-of-fallen-officer needs.
- Vermont Teddy Bear: Established custom teddy bear manufacturer offering personalized plush products — comparable product category (custom teddy bears) but operates as a commercial gifting business rather than nonprofit.
Direct peers
- Police Unity Tour: Law enforcement charity organization focused on awareness and support for fallen officers — comparable mission area and donor base, though structured around an annual cycling event rather than memorial keepsakes.
- Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.): National 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping surviving families of officers killed in the line of duty — directly overlapping Blue Line Bears' mission, beneficiary population, and law-enforcement channel.
- Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP): Nonprofit memorial and resource hub for fallen U.S. law enforcement officers — already an established partner of Blue Line Bears and serves the same beneficiary population through awareness and referrals.
Regional players
- Wives Behind the Badge: Nonprofit supporting spouses and families of fallen and injured officers — narrower segment (spouses vs. children) but shares the law-enforcement survivor beneficiary population and nonprofit funding model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Blue Line Bears, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceBlue Line Bears, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blue Line Bears, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Blue Line Bears, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blue Line Bears, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Blue Line Bears, Inc.
What does Blue Line Bears, Inc. do?
Blue Line Bears creates personalized, handmade keepsake teddy bears from the uniforms of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, sewing each bear into 8 parts (head, 2 ears, body, 2 arms, 2 legs) and incorporating the officer's department patches, insignia, embroidered pieces, and shirt buttons. Each bear takes 9-10 hours of skilled labor, is finished with a St Michael's Medal and a personalized certificate, and is delivered at no cost to qualifying immediate family members in the United States, Europe, and Afghanistan. The organization is funded by donations, sponsorships, and proceeds from an online merchandise shop.
Is Blue Line Bears, Inc. a public or private company?
Blue Line Bears, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Blue Line Bears, Inc. founded?
Blue Line Bears, Inc. was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Blue Line Bears, Inc. based?
Blue Line Bears, Inc. is headquartered in Fort Myers, United States, in the North America region.
How does Blue Line Bears, Inc. make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are shop Sales and sponsorships.
Who are Blue Line Bears, Inc.'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Build-A-Bear Workshop, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Vermont Teddy Bear. Direct peers are Police Unity Tour, Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) and Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Wives Behind the Badge is listed as a regional player.
Does Blue Line Bears, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blue Line Bears, Inc..