Organization: Sweet Dream Makers
Program Name: A Bed of My Own®
The Program Need:
Safe, comfortable sleeping space is critical to everyone’s health and wellbeing. Sweet Dream Makers provides beds and bedding packages to thousands of needy South Palm Beach County residents. Most people are shocked to learn how many children are sleeping on the floor, sharing beds, or sleeping in otherwise unsafe, unsanitary conditions. Students who arenot well-rested struggle academically, emotionally, socially, and physically. Lack of adequate childhood sleep greatlyincreases the risk for obesity, diabetes, and mental health challenges. These hurdles drastically limit the potential for well-being and success for the most vulnerable members of our community - but these risks are significantly reduced byproviding children and families with safe, clean, and appropriate beds at the modest average cost of $270 each. The vast majority of those we serve are infants, children, teens, and their working poor caregivers with low to moderate income. They are employed in our restaurants, hotels, hospitals, big box stores, and as home health aides. For the families served by Sweet Dream Makers, many adult caregivers are earning minimum wage necessitating working two or three jobs just to pay the rent, put food on the table, and clothe their children. Nothing is left to purchase the basic necessities of home.
Why is this project transformational?
Imagine sleeping on a hard floor and waking up to your 5-year-old son and your 7-year-old daughter on a shared deflated air mattress also on the floor with a tattered blanket. Knowing that no one earnestly trying to overcome hardship should have to live this way, Sweet Dream Makers partners with over 130 agencies in the social service, government, law enforcement, and education sectors to help fulfill the promise of a better tomorrow. This network of organizations identifies and prioritizes the need to provide basic household furnishings, including beds with bedding, for the struggling families they each serve. Sweet Dream Makers’ A Bed of My Own® program is a critical resource for its partners that is helping to improve the sleep hygiene and sleep health of our community’s most needy youth and families. Since 2017, SDM has impacted the lives of 20,359 individuals and over 9,500 families through the simple act of kindness represented by delivering a bed with bedding at a time of need. Sadly, there is no end in sight. In 2022, we delivered 4,123 beds; in 2023; we impacted 6,190 lives by providing them with beds; and in 2024 we expect the number to be even larger.
How will the Impact 100 Men of Palm Beach County’s money be used?
Impact 100 Men’s funding will be used to purchase beds with bedding for south Palm Beach County children and support a small portion of A Bed of My Own program staff time devoted to the program.Giving you an idea of how a grant of $50,000 would impact south Palm Beach County’s most needy infants, children, and teens, here is a breakdown of expenses toward which the funds would be allocated: 157 Beds for south Palm Beach County children (cribs, twin beds, and bunk beds): $42,500: Salaries, wages, payroll taxes and benefits: $6,500: Warehouse Rent: $250 Program expenses: $500 Contractor services: $250.