Patches the Bear is dedicated to advocating for children, guiding them to find their voice. With the help of Patches and the eight expressive emotion face symbols, children can learn to name, understand and appropriately express the emotions he/she is feeling. All children including those in healthy or poor health, neglected - both emotionally and physically, sexually abused, traumatized by catastrophic events or bereavement, disabled and or learning disabled children, and those having to cope with deployment need to communicate and express their feelings. During childhood, children begin to develop communication skills, and it is imperative that the adults in a child’s life encourage healthy communication. This enables children to learn, form relationships, build their sense of worth, develop coping skills and express their feelings, all of which empower them to endure challenges, through life’s journey of happy times and painful moments.