Get on Board! Sleep Train Drives Fundraising Effort to Provide Area Foster Children with Tools for School

    SEATTLE, WA, July 20, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- According to statistics, with every school change, a foster child loses 4 to 6 months of academic progress. Twice as many kids in foster care in both elementary and secondary school repeat a grade. And, foster children are twice as likely to drop out of high school. These facts demonstrate that foster children are faced with hurdles in school that often become roadblocks to their success. That's why Sleep Train, the number one bedding specialist on the West Coast, is asking its community of businesses and individuals to "Get on Board" and help foster children be equipped with the right tools to succeed in school.

Donations of new school supplies like backpacks, calculators, notebooks, rulers, markers, crayons, protractors, and more are being collected during the Sleep Train Foster Kids' Annual School Supply drive to provide these important items to the more than 80,000 foster children in California. Beginning yesterday, July 19th and running through September 6th, 2010, school supplies can be donated to any Sleep Train location in California. Cash donations are also accepted online at www.sleeptrain.com and Sleep Train employees will shop on your behalf. All contributions will be given to Sleep Train's 19 California foster care partner organizations and distributed to foster families with school-age children.

"For most, being successful in school is directly tied to being successful in life," said Cooie Grey-Lavin, at Youth and Family Programs in Chico. "With your support, we can provide foster children with the school supplies they need to actively participate in class and contribute to their ability to do well in school and ultimately thrive in life."

"Children are an influential group in our communities and their ability to succeed in school and life will shape the future of how we live," said Terry Horsley, vice president of brand strategy for Sleep Train. "Making sure these children start school with the same tools as their counterparts gives them a solid foundation for being able to participate in the same way and accomplish the same achievements. It's a small measure that makes an incredibly big difference. We're proud of this ongoing effort to generate thousands of donations for these children."

Sleep Train has been incredibly successful in engaging businesses and groups within the community to support area foster children by hosting their own drive and bringing collected items to a local Sleep Train store. For more information on how to host your own drive, email [email protected]. Donations are being accepted today! To find the Sleep Train store nearest to you or for more information about the school supply drive, please visit www.sleeptrain.com or call 1-800-378-BEDS.

About Sleep Train
Celebrating its 25th year in business, award-winning Sleep Train Mattress Centers is ranked the #1 bedding specialist on the West Coast, offering customers superior service by professional and knowledgeable sleep consultants and the best selection of famous brands, such as Simmons Beautyrest, Sealy Posturepedic, Tempur-Pedic, Stearns & Foster, and the Vera Wang Organic Collection by Serta, at the guaranteed lowest prices. Sleep Train's Foster Kids program actively contributes to its community through ongoing donation drives that benefit the area's nearly 80,000 foster children. With more than 80 retail locations throughout California, Sleep Train is Your Ticket to a Better Night's Sleep . For more information, please visit www.sleeptrain.com or call 1-800-378-BEDS.

Media Contact:
REVOLUTION PR for Sleep Train
Jennifer Karkar Ritchie
(206) 932-2454 or [email protected]
and
Aaron Hilst
(206) 355-3506 or [email protected]

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