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It isn't just a bear. It’s a break. For the child receiving a Speedy Bear, it’s a break from the days, weeks or even months of being bored and scared, especially when that bear is delivered by a NASCAR driver in their firesuit. For the parents, it’s a break from the raw fear that’s crowded out every other emotion.

“One mom said to me that us visiting her son made them all kind of forget,” says NASCAR Foundation vice president and executive director Nichole Krieger. “Just to have someone who wasn’t a doctor or nurse coming in…It meant the world to have a little bit of a respite from that.”

That’s the heart of The NASCAR Foundation, which has supported more than 1.7 million children in tough situations since it was founded in 2006. And it’s why LeafFilter founder Matt Kaulig jumped on board to help after starting his own NASCAR racing team in 2016 — and is now the biggest backer of the Speedy Bear Brigade.

“Matt puts not only his money but his time and effort behind what we do,” says Krieger. “A lot of people can write a check, but Matt also likes to be involved in what we do.”

Speedy Bear comes in a little cardboard house that can be colored and is stuffed with goodies like Jenga blocks, playing cards and toy cars. About 5,000 bears are given out each year on or around Sept. 9, which is National Teddy Bear Day, by a team of volunteers.

“As a dad who’s had a daughter in the hospital, it’s the worst place to be as a kid, these bears are just a little thing we can do to deliver cheer, positivity and comfort.” says Kaulig. “Each year, we try to grow bigger and better with our onsite presence at the hospitals.”

At Akron Children’s, the Kaulig team works with director of special events Machelle Syx to make the day as special as possible. It starts when the kids hear the sound of drums, trumpets and cymbals coming down the street, look out the window and see The University of Akron’s marching band.

Their response, says Syx, is written across their faces: Wow! This is for me?

Playing the university’s fight song, the band marches right into the hospital to launch a day of fun, including ice cream carts, crafts, coloring and special appearances by NASCAR mascots. The Kaulig team always goes big. Whenever possible, drivers from Kaulig’s NASCAR team join the march.

As a minority owner of the Cleveland Guardians and the co-host of a monthly WKYC 3 and Fox 8 segments on local nonprofits making a difference, Kaulig is the bigger name in town. But that’s not how the kids see it.

“When drivers show up in their firesuits, that’s an indicator to the kids that a superhero has arrived,” says Krieger. “They’ll sit and spend a little time with the kids, answering their questions. It’s a homerun.”

The day is just as much for siblings as it is for the kids in the hospital.

“We have babies who have been in the hospital for over a year before they go home,” Syx says. “They don’t understand why they’re spending every day in the hospital with their new little brother or sister.”

While Matt and his wife, Lisa, are big supporters of both Akron Children’s and The NASCAR Foundation, giving isn’t as simple as it may seem. Kaulig Companies supports more than 300 mostly local nonprofits — and it’s critical to Kaulig that any money given has a direct impact on children and families.

That’s where Stacey Langal comes in. As the vice president of philanthropy for Kaulig Companies, it’s her job to vet every group seeking funding. She meets with Matt and his wife, Lisa, as well as a few other key players each week to decide which groups they’ll fund.

“Matt doesn’t like the giving to be transactional,” she explains. “He likes to be in situations where we’re building and giving and interacting.”

Sometimes, that means handing out a cuddly bear to a sick child. But it also means building playgrounds, packing weekend food bags, teaching basketball to children with special needs, providing comfort to kids entering foster care, helping pregnant mothers in need, teaching disadvantaged youth how to interview for jobs and much, much more.

LeafFilter has grown from Kaulig’s basement into one of the largest home improvement companies in the world. Kaulig was inducted into Cleveland Magazine’s Cleveland Business Hall of Fame in 2022, received the Harvard Business School Entrepreneur Award in 2023 and became the presenting sponsor for the Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone Country Club in 2023.

Besides his family, his time and money spent helping others bring him the most joy.

“This year efforts mark the biggest to date with over 100 hospitals participating in race markets across the United States, Mexico and Canada.” says Kaulig. “All of us should share the goal of impacting the communities we love by helping children in need live happier, healthier lives.”