A Bed 4 Me Foundation

Many children have a bedtime without a bed. When you think of childhood poverty you dont usually think of a child going without a bed yet this is the reality. Children are sleeping on the floor or doubled up with a sibling/parent because a bed is financially out of reach. Families who are low-income, or graduating from homeless transition programs, or leaving domestic violence shelters, are in need on a regular basis.

Daily referrals come from teachers, social workers, guidance counselors, places of faith, family agencies and other nonprofits who identify children in need of a bed.

A bed is a simple thing most of us take for granted but its a luxury to children of the working poor in our community. We deliver directly to their doorstep and get the entire family involved! Your funds will continue to meet this undeserved need and provide a reliable all weather vehicle to transport the beds and bedding to the families. A Bed 4 Me (B4Me) desires to not only provide a bed but a safe place to dream!

The immediate need is a cargo van at $42,101.53. This will allow for a consistent and reliable all weather vehicle to transport beds (regular twin & bunk beds) and bedding (sheets, comforters, pillows) to the families we serve throughout the county. The van will be wrapped with our logo and the Impact 100 logo. Presently, we use the personal vehicles of volunteers. We are trying to balance high volunteer interest along with adequate transportation of the beds and bedding. It is a challenge to maximize deliveries with volunteers (if they dont have a truck/van), and on a rainy day it gets even more demanding.

Your funds provided will also allow our charity to provide 438 beds ($58.95/riser + $65/mattress = $123.95/twin) over the time frame of 2 years. A bed may seem like a simple piece of furniture, but for a child who goes to sleep each night on a couch, the floor, an air mattress, or sharing a bed with a parent or a sibling, it will make a huge impact on their health and well being.

To the Members of Impact 100,

We are very honored and thankful to have received such a generous grant and to partner with this organization. The grant will allow us to immediately purchase a cargo style van so we can deliver more beds in a more efficient manner to the children in our community.

Imagine bedtime without a bed. Many children have bedtime without a bed. When you think of childhood poverty you dont usually think of a child going without a bed yet this is the reality. Children are sleeping on the floor or doubled up with a sibling/parent because a bed is financially out of reach. Families who are low-income, graduating from homeless transition programs or leaving domestic violence shelters all are in need on a regular basis. Daily referrals come from teachers, social workers, guidance counselors, places of faith, family agencies and other nonprofits who identify children in need of a bed.

Research through the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that children not getting adequate sleep each night is associated with an increase in injuries, hypertension, obesity and depression especially for teens who may experience increased risk of self-harm or suicidal thoughts. Sleep deprivation brings lower school performance, increased behavioral problems and lower self-esteem which impacts academic performance and community participation adding to the burdens of our school and healthcare systems.

A bed is a simple thing most of us take for granted but its a luxury to children of the working poor in our community. Not only is a bed a place to sleep, its a spot to escape to, its avenue of responsibility and ownership. We deliver directly to their doorstep and get the entire family involved! The Impact 100 funds will continue to meet this underserved need and provide a reliable all weather vehicle to transport the beds and bedding to the families we serve. A Bed 4 Me desires to not only provide a bed but a safe place to dream and Impact 100 is part of that dream!

With full hearts,

A Bed 4 Me Team