If by the end of the day you look forward to climbing into bed, you already have one thing that many kids in Berks County don’t.
From Boyertown to Reading to Wernersville, one of life’s most basic staples, for many, is but a dream.
“Every day, there’s a child or an adult who is sleeping on the floor or an air mattress or a sofa or a chair, or a child who is sharing a bed or sharing a sofa,” said Marc Goldstein, the founder of Berks County-based Blankets of Hope. “It is really just mind boggling.”
Goldstein decided last year he needed help to try to put this problem to sleep.
“Having a bed that’s their own, not a used bed, but a new bed, it helps their morale,” Goldstein said. “It’s better for their health.”
He partnered with Fecera’s Furniture in South Heidelberg Township. The longtime Berks furniture store orders and delivers the twin-size, box spring mattresses to kids in need. Since July 2019, they’ve made nearly 200 deliveries.
And with each one, Goldstein throws in sheets, a pillow and two blankets. Even so, Goldstein said he thought of someone else who could get involved. He called the Olivet Boys and Girls Club to help identify kids in need of a bed.
“The hope is we will continue to build this as we move forward,” said Christopher Winters, the club’s CEO.
Through this partnership, the hope is kids can stop dreaming of a bed and start dreaming in their bed.
“When you see that sparkle in a child’s eye,” Winters said, “that’s what makes a difference.”