Forged by Conflict. Driven by Compassion.
What began as a confrontation with the realities of war became a mission to defend the children trapped within them.
A Mission That Lives for Those Who Didn't
Imagine this — five childhood friends from Lebanon, just barely out of elementary school. One minute you're playing chess in your living room, the next you are mourning everyone close to you. A land mine. A drone strike. A missile. A loss like that isn't just painful — it is paralyzing.
But the grief didn't fade. It sharpened. It turned into a responsibility that could no longer be ignored. Children in warzones deserve someone fighting for them.
So, after losing a team of over 40 members to a drone strike in Lebanon — most of them never reaching adulthood — the dream was rebuilt from scratch in the United States and created The CAWZ Coalition — Children in Active Warzones.
"War took enough. We refuse to let it take the children too."Support Our Work →
our values
Bear First
Every decision runs through one question: is this best for the child? Bear Necessities before Bear Hugs — we prioritize, then we go further.
Bear Transparency
81.8% to children. Published openly. We're youth-led and trust-driven — if you want to see the numbers, we'll show you every one.
Youth-Led Energy
We don't wait for grown-ups to solve it. We believe the next generation has the passion and creativity to lead — so we do.
Tangible Impact
Checks are great. But a toy bear in a box shipped to a child in Lebanon? Unbearably powerful. We do both.
Community Learning
We educate our peers through events and storytelling. Because awareness without action is just sympathy — and we want more than that.
Grizzly Resilience
We're scrappy. We're determined. We started with a dream and a bear mascot, and we're not stopping until every child feels seen.
the young people behind CAWZ
We're students and young volunteers who give their time because they believe kids helping kids is the most powerful thing in the world.
Roman & Mahmoud
Co-Founders
The vision and drive behind CAWZ — two young leaders who believed that kids helping kids could change everything, and built something real to prove it.
Sofia
Tangible Goods Lead
Runs our Bear Necessities and Bear Hugs pipeline — from donation drives to packing kits to coordinating delivery.
Josephine
Marketing & Event Coordination
Tells the CAWZ story and brings the community together — every campaign, post, and event runs through her.
Team Member
Role
A dedicated member of the CAWZ family, giving their time to make sure every child is seen and heard.
Team Member
Role
A dedicated member of the CAWZ family, giving their time to make sure every child is seen and heard.
Team Member
Role
A dedicated member of the CAWZ family, giving their time to make sure every child is seen and heard.
Team Member
Role
A dedicated member of the CAWZ family, giving their time to make sure every child is seen and heard.
nothing to hide — that's the bear truth.
81.8% of every dollar goes directly to children in need. We're working toward 501(c)(3) status and publish every dollar we spend. Ask us anything — we're an open book. Or an open bear cave.