Sleep Country USA Shares Six Steps for Becoming a "Secret Santa" this Holiday Season

SEATTLE, WA, October 31, 2010

The joy and excitement of a child opening a gift can easily fill a room. Unfortunately, for many foster families the holidays can be a struggle symbolizing change and uncertainty, where money is used to replace necessities, leaving little for gifts. To help make sure no child is left wondering why Santa 'missed their house' this year, Sleep Country USA (www.sleepcountry.com), the number one bedding specialist in the Northwest, offers six steps for becoming a "Secret Santa" this year, donating new, unwrapped toys and gifts to its Foster Kids Secret Santa Toy Drive.

Six Simple Steps for Becoming A "Secret Santa"
Step 1: Don a Santa Hat! Virtual works if you don't have one.
Step 2: Practice your most hearted "ho, ho, ho"!
Step 3: Select your sack.
Step 4: Imagine the look on the child's face when they open your gift...
Step 5: Shop till you drop or just need a snack.
Step 6: Drop your donations of unwrapped gifts to your nearest Sleep Country USA location!

Sleep Country USA's Secret Santa Toy Drive starts November 1st through December 12th, 2010. The company holds the annual drive as an ongoing effort to provide foster children with items their foster families might not be able to afford. The gifts are distributed among the company's sixteen regional foster care partners who help the 26,000 foster children in Washington and Oregon have a brighter holiday season.

"The support we receive each year during this drive is heartwarming," said Terry Horsley, vice president of brand strategy for Sleep Country USA. "Our communities have battled downpours, ice storms and unusual snow conditions to make sure these children have the opportunity to celebrate the holidays like their peers. As we do every year, we're striving to inspire individuals and businesses to have fun and shop for children in need around them."

This year's toy drive follows a successful Winter Coat Drive—one of the most difficult due to the costly nature of the item, but important - foster kids drives that Sleep Country USA holds.

"Whether it's a coat, a football or a new doll, foster children are enamored by receiving something that is completely theirs and given to them by someone they know must care a lot to make the effort," said Erin Mathias, foster care specialist at Bethany Christian Services. "In the face of recent budget cuts to foster care funding in Washington and Oregon, Sleep Country USA's annual drives are instrumental in ensuring the children in our program get to have this experience while gaining the essentials they need to be happy and healthy, and for that, we're very thankful."

Sleep Country USA also encourages businesses and community groups to host their own toy drive, and has created an easy to follow guide for those interested. For more information on Sleep Country USA's ongoing foster kids programs, including the upcoming Secret Santa Toy Drive, or to find the closest store to make a donation, please visit http://www.sleepcountry.com or call 1-888-88-SLEEP. Store hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

About Sleep Country USA
Sleep Country USA is the No. 1 bedding specialist in the Northwest, with more than 70 mattress retail stores throughout Washington and Oregon. Founded in 1991, Sleep Country USA 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 emphasizes customer service and satisfaction with its Money Back Comfort Guarantee and Free Red Carpet Delivery Service. Sleep Country USA's award-winning Sleep Country Foster Kids program actively contributes to its communities through ongoing donation drives and fundraising 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, please visit http://www.sleepcountry.com or call 1-888-88-SLEEP.

Media Contacts:
Revolution PR for Sleep Country USA
Jennifer Karkar Ritchie
(206) 932-2454 | jennifer@revolutionpr.com
Or
Aaron Hilst
(206) 355-3506 | aaron@revolutionpr.com