Sara, her older sister, and their mother recently fled an abusive environment. After a short stay in a shelter, they moved into an apartment where the three share a single bed. Sara, the youngest, is the first to crawl into bed at night. Just as she falls asleep, her older sister awakens her when she gets into bed. After a while, Sara again begins to doze off but is awakened when her mother comes to bed, pulls the covers over herself and off Sara. Throughout the night, the three play tug-a-war with the sheets and blanket to get comfortable.
In central Ohio, the realities of families sharing a bed are not uncommon.Ā As a child grows, however, the need increases for their own space to sleep. Adequate sleep helps kids fight off germs and has been shown to reduce obesity. Our brainās organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills are impaired by lack of sleep. Fatigue impacts behavior and causes kids to become easily frustrated and distracted.
Josephās Coat of Central OhioĀ offers help to central Ohio families living in the margins, providing stepping stones for families living paycheck to paycheckāa bed, a pair of jeans, a blanket, or set of dishes to stretch their budget. Through this Better Together project, they and The Columbus Foundation hope to provide 50 children with their own new beds to help them keep dreaming for the future.
In 2017,Ā 399 families received furnitureĀ from Josephās Coat, from couches and kitchen tables to chairs, dressers, side/end tables, and lamps. ThisĀ included 393 mattresses.
Supporting this Better Together project will purchase twin mattresses and platform frames to ensure children like Sara can get a good nightās sleep so they are ready to take on the world!
Learn more and give today. Let’s be Better Together!
Better Together,Ā The Columbus Foundation‘s crowdfunding platform, rallies individuals to work together to bring out the best in our community! Through Better Together, you can show love to our local nonprofits by donating toward their time-sensitive projects and programs. With new projects going up every month, youāre sure to see a cause thatās close to your heart, so be sure to stop in often to check them out!