This holiday season, Sleep Country USA, the Northwest’s largest seller of premium mattresses, kicks off its annual Sleep Country Foster Kids “Secret Santa Toy Drive” with an emphasis on making every foster child’s holiday wishes come true. In order to accomplish this, the retailer seeks help from its community of generous individuals and businesses.
Donations of new, unwrapped gifts, such as toys, games, sporting equipment, musical instruments, gift cards, electronics, such as mp3 players and digital cameras, music CDs, and movie DVDs are being collected beginning November 2nd – December 13th. To guide donations and relay wishes from area foster children, Sleep Country USA invited its partner foster care organizations to share specific wishes for this holiday season:
- Arturo, age 16 months, wishes for a toy phone. DSHS WA
- Matthew, age 20 months, wishes for a remote control tractor. DSHS WA
- Alejandra age 2, wishes for costumes. Community & Family Services Foundation
- Jamie, age 5, wishes for Leapster Games. Capital Kids Connection
- Rain, age 7, wishes for a big doll. Trillium Family Services
- Jeremiah, age 8, wishes for a bike. Capital Kids Connection
- Dominic, age 10, wishes for a kids cook book. Trillium Family Services
- Donte, age 11, wishes for a basketball. Trillium Family Services
- Mariah, age 14, wishes for a digital camera. Community & Family Services Foundation
- John, age 16, wishes for a guitar. Foster Family Care Network
- Edward, age 17, wishes for art supplies. Foster Family Care Network
- Kaitlynn, age 17, wishes for a pre paid cell phone. Capital Kids Connection
“Our program helps foster organizations provide foster families with the important extras that cost more than they have the budget for,” said Terry Horsley, vice president of brand strategy for Sleep Country USA. “As a parent, if you’re choosing between spending money on a toy or something more practical, you’re likely to resist purchasing the toy. But during the holidays, when children wish for the things they might not otherwise receive, having those wishes fulfilled brings about a sense of magic. It’s the magic that makes childhood one of the most special times in our lives – a magic that foster children desperately need and deserve.”
Last year, despite snow, ice and cold temperatures, the Sleep Country Secret Santa Toy Drive collected more than 14,000 donations of gifts and toys. This year, the company strives to exceed that number and meet all of the wishes of foster children like these. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to donate new, unwrapped gifts to any of the company’s 70 stores located throughout the region. And, if you don’t have time to shop, but would like to help, cash donations can be made online at www.sleepcountry.com, click on “community” then “donate to foster kids” and let the Sleep Country USA team do the shopping for you!
About Sleep Country USA: Sleep Country USA is the No. 1 mattress seller in the Northwestern United States, with more than 70 mattress retail stores throughout Washington and Oregon. The company was founded in 1991 and features top-quality brand-name mattresses from Sealy, Posturepedic®, Simmons Beautyrest®, Stearns & Foster, and Tempur-Pedic®, as well as premium adjustable beds, futons, and wood and metal accent beds. The company’s award-winning Sleep Country Foster Kids program actively contributes to its communities through ongoing drives and events that benefit the area’s more than 26,000 foster children. For more information about Sleep Country USA or the Sleep Country Foster Kids program, visit www.sleepcountry.com or call 1-888-88-SLEEP. Sleep Country USA store hours are Monday-Friday, 10 am to 9 pm, Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm, and Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm.