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

SACRAMENTO, CA, November 02, 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 Train (www.sleeptrain.com) the number one bedding specialist on the West Coast, 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 Train location!

Sleep Train's Secret Santa Toy Drive is on now 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 nineteen regional foster care partners who help the 80,000 foster children in California have a brighter holiday season.

"The support we receive each year during this drive is inspiring," said Terry Horsley, vice president of brand strategy for Sleep Train. "Our communities have such big hearts, and always come through 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 Train holds.

"Whether it's pajamas, 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 Alice Gentry, community affairs manager at River Oak Center for Children. "Sleep Train'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 Train also encourages businesses and community groups to host their own toy drive. For more information on Sleep Train'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.sleeptrain.com or call 1-800-378-BEDS. 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 Train
Celebrating its 25th year in business, award-winning Sleep Train Mattress Centers, an employee-owned company, is ranked the #1 bedding specialist on the West Coast. Sleep Train offers 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 Collection by Serta , at the guaranteed lowest prices. Sleep Train's award-winning 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 http://www.sleeptrain.com or call 1-800-378-BEDS.

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