The Lost Stuffy Project: Two Moms Help Kids Reunite with Stuffies Lost in LA Fires
In January of 2025, wildfires attacked the Greater Los Angeles area causing devastating impacts for many families. According to the USGS, the fires have, “burned more than 40,000 acres, destroyed more than 12,300 structures”. This natural disaster took so much from families including their homes and possessions.
After hearing about the tragic Los Angeles fires, mom of two, Randi Jaffe asked herself what she would grab if she were in the situation where she had to evacuate. Randi instantly thought about her child’s three-inch cheetah, the one she always said couldn’t be replaced because no one knew where it came from. It really made her stop and think. Randi shared her thoughts, saying, “Not only have these kids lost everything and any sense of normalcy, they don’t even have a comfort item to hold onto.”
Randi alongside her sister-in-law Jenny Jaffe immediately took action and created The Lost Stuffy Project, an organization to reunite children with their comfort items.
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Reuniting Children with Their Stuffies One Post at a Time
The Lost Stuffy Project is a project dedicated to reuniting children with their stuffed animals, blankets and comfort items. Through their Instagram, loststuffyproject, Randi and Jenny work with their followers to reunite children with their stuffed animals lost in the LA fires. People submit photos of the stuffed animal, blanket, or toy that’s gone missing to their Instagram.
From there, the two sisters-in-law create a “wanted” post, asking their followers to help track down the lost item. The response has been amazing—people from all over the country are getting involved, donating to the cause, sleuthing online to find toys, or simply reposting to spread the word.
Randi Jaffe told us one of the amazing stories that have emerged from this business. A young woman in college reached out on behalf of her 7-year-old sister. After their family home was burnt down, her younger sister lost her stuffed animal. This pink bunny was about 20 years old and from the GAP, making it very difficult to track down.
The Lost Stuffy Project went full force looking for this bunny posting and even contacting the GAP to search their archives. This search had people in all areas looking hoping to find this bunny. The search eventually reached Reddit, a popular open forum social network. A woman saw the Reddit post and owned the exact pink bunny from the GAP.
Although this was this woman’s personal comfort animal her entire life, even stating that this bunny had been with her through the hardest moments of her life, she was more than happy to give it to a child who had lost it. This type of generosity and community is what The Lost Stuffy Project is all about.
Helping Schools Restore Comfort Items
The founders of The Lost Stuffy Project visited Woodbury Village Preschool where every toy, book and stuffed animal had tragically been destroyed in the fires. Through their project, they are using their platform to replace these comfort items in schools that students rely on. Randi told us, “Getting these kids back to school is so important but it is also getting them back into an emotionally safe a comfortable place.”
Insight from the Founder
Mother of two, Randi Jaffe, works as a Child Life Specialist and is passionate about raising awareness of the vital role these professionals play. She often refers to them as the unsung heroes of healthcare. Randi explained, “We support pediatric patients and kids who have or are experiencing traumatic events.”
Randi also works directly with children herself in the hospital and sees firsthand how much stuffed animals serve as a comfort to children and help ease their anxieties. She often works in the OR where she brings the children into the operating room. While the parents are not allowed back in the OR, stuffed animals and comfort items are!
Once the child falls asleep, Randi carefully takes the comfort item, holding it like it’s pure gold, so she can return it to the parents. She shared with us how much relief these comfort items bring, not just to the children, but also to the parents waiting in the waiting room, as she explains the rest of the procedure.
Jonas Brothers Stuffy Endorsement
The Lost Stuffy Project even made it to the big stage! This year during the 2025 Grammy Awards, local businesses and relief programs were highlighted during commercial breaks in support of those affected by the LA fires. The Lost Stuffy Project was showcased in the commercial as the project was explained as, “replacing the irreplaceable”. The Jonas Brothers were featured in the commercial stating, “As dads, we love what the Lost Stuffy Project is doing, so we are donating our personal stuffy collection.” This commercial brought tons of several followers to the project and allowed more people to get involved.
How You Can Help
These two moms are truly an inspiration, creating a project that has helped so many children reunite with their beloved toys, stuffed animals, and blankets. We’re grateful to The Lost Stuffy Project for sharing their incredible story with us.
You can help The Lost Stuffy Project by following them on Instagram, @loststuffyproject, and then help share posts looking for stuffies of all kinds. Check out their bio to donate money that aids in the purchasing and restoring of stuffies as well as the Woodbury Village Preschool wishlist.
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