Vehicle-washing company Wash-it Mobile built and donated 100 Build-A-Bears for the children at the East Texas Crisis Center shelter Tuesday morning.

On a chilly Tuesday morning, a van filled with dozens of cuddly, cozy teddy bears made some Christmas wishes come true at the East Texas Crisis Center.

Packaged in their own little box houses, 100 Build-A-Bears were donated to the crisis center shelter to soon become a child’s best buddy, thanks to Wash-it Mobile, a vehicle-washing company in Tyler.

Wash-it Mobile CEO Daniel Nagore said his company is a small business always looking for a way to give back locally.

“We chose the crisis center because they have such a lovely mission,” Nagore said. “They do a lot for the kids so we decided to put effort to do this for the kids of the East Texas Crisis Center.”

After spending two nights at Build-A-Bear in the mall, the Wash-it Mobile team made its delivery of bears, each with their own clothing, which crisis center officials called a blessing.

“I can just visualize all these little children receiving their bear and how excited they’re going to be,” ETCC Executive Director Lana Peacock said. “This is a really big deal for them to receive a Build-A-Bear and the little clothes that they wear are so precious. This could make some really happy kids.”

She said it is amazing to see Nagore and others who have a young business helping their community.

“It’s inspiring. It’s very uplifting to see young men take up an interest in reaching out in helping other people in the community,” Peacock said. “That makes it all feel the spirit of Christmas.”

Nagore said helping children at Christmastime who have experienced traumatic events is a great feeling. He plans to make the donation an annual action.

“We’re able to provide that for them, for me and for my team, it’s just amazing — the best Christmas gift ever,” he said.

The team came up with the Build-A-Bear donation idea while looking for something cool, different and special for the kids.

“We were like, ‘What’s something that when you were little you were attached to? Your first teddy bear,’ “ he said. “Kids get attached to their bears. That’s their buddy. That’s their safe space.”

Peacock said there are about 10 kids at the shelter now. Last week, there were around 17 children but several have been able to move out to safe places. She expects the shelter to be full about a week or two after Christmas.

When kids arrive at the shelter, crisis center staff work to make sure they have stuffed animals, quilts and books in their rooms, Peacock said.

“We just want them to have a lot of cuddlies and cozies, and so certainly bears fill the cuddly part,” she said. “They get a lot of things for their room and it will be theirs to take home because they come here without anything, not even extra clothes.”

ETCC serves those impacted by family violence, dating violence, sexual assault and violent crime in the counties of Smith, Henderson, Van Zandt, Wood and Rains.

The center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All services provided by the center are free and confidential.

Wash-it Mobile is an eco-friendly car wash based in East Texas that washes a variety of vehicles with very little water.

“We wash everything from cars, SUVs, buses, trailers, airplanes, 18-wheelers, anything. I’m very blessed to have the team that I have,” Nagore said.