SEATTLE, WA, May 03, 2011 (Press-News.org) National Foster Care Month recognizes the significant contributions and dedicated work of foster parents and draws attention to programs and practices that promote stability for children in foster care. Originating in 1988, National Foster Care Month has inspired people nationwide for more than 20 years to support the more than 500,000 children and youth living in foster care.
In Washington and Oregon, this represents nearly 20,000 youth who live in foster care. For Sleep Country USA, the Northwest's largest mattress retailer, the plight of foster children and the tremendous support provided by foster families were so inspiring that in 2005, the company founded the Sleep Country Foster Kids program. The goal of this effort was to channel Sleep Country's philanthropic interests and resources into one very important cause - becoming a resource and support system for foster organizations that directly aid foster children and their families.
"Foster children have the same needs as children who live in stable families, yet often have to go without due to financial restraints and continuous moves," said Terry Horsley, vice president of brand strategy, Sleep Country USA. "We sought to change this reality with in-store drives to obtain new clothes, shoes, coats, pajamas, school supplies, and gifts at Christmas - to date obtaining more than 350,000 items and more than $500,000 in cash for foster children. We've set a great example of the impact companies can have on their community, and hope our success persuades other businesses and community members to get involved."
While some foster children may return home to their parents, others will live in foster care until they become adults or are adopted. Throughout the year, but especially during May, everyone is encouraged to play a more active role in the lives of foster children. Individuals and businesses interested in helping local foster children can get involved in the following ways:
• Become a foster parent: There continues to be a shortage of foster homes. Consider caring for siblings and adolescent children - one of the most underserved segments.
• Be a volunteer child advocate: Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers are trained citizens appointed by judges to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in court.
• Mentor a foster child: Help children and youth achieve higher grades and improve relationships with friends and families.
• Employ a foster child: Help a youth in foster care explore career options and find a career path.
• Make a donation: The Sleep Country USA Foster Kids program is currently seeking new pajamas and clothing, which can be donated to any Sleep Country USA store. The company also accepts cash donations at http://www.sleepcountry.com, and they will do the shopping for you.
"It's our motto, but we'll share - we know that while everyone may not be able to be a foster parent, anyone can help a foster child," closed Horsley.
For more information about National Foster Care Month, please visit http://www.fostercaremonth.org. For more information on Sleep Country USA or to host your own drive, please visit the Sleep Country Foster Kids page. To find the store nearest to you or for more information about the shoe drive, please visit http://www.sleepcountry.com or call 1-888-88-SLEEP.
About Sleep Country USA
Sleep Country USA, an employee-owned company, 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 Serta, 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 Same Day 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 nearly 20,000 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
Aaron Hilst, (206) 355-3506, aaron@revolutionpr.com
Sleep Country USA Establishes Itself as a Role Model for Businesses and Community Members to Create a Positive, Lasting Impact
National Foster Care Month Strives to Inspire Awareness by Honoring Foster Families and Supporters
2011-05-03
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Pan American Metals Makes Life Easy for Investors in the Bullion Market
2011-05-03
Many investors lack the time needed to sort through the massive amount of facts, figures and opinion produced about the precious metals market on a daily basis but a team of seasoned brokers at Pan American Metals of Miami (PAMOM) can do this for them.
While all metals have seen unprecedented rises in value recently, market experts understand that there are occasional corrections and fluctuations. Gold, for example, opened this week at $1512 an ounce then dropped to $1495 midweek before closing at $1557 on Friday, April 29, showing a rise over the week as a whole of ...
Pan American Metals of Miami Platinum and Palladium Also Rising Along With Gold and Silver
2011-05-03
Pan American Metals of Miami (PAMOM) states that, while gold and silver prices may have stolen headlines, all precious metals are seeing record-breaking prices. When markets closed in New York on Friday, April 29, palladium was at $796 an ounce while platinum closed at $1878, having reached a high of $1885 earlier in the day.
"There has been huge publicity about the meteoric rise of gold and silver," says Debbie Bailey of PAMOM, "but the fall of the dollar is pushing up prices for all precious metals. We are seeing record-breaking returns for palladium ...
Pan American Metals Says Gold Prices Will Continue to Rise
2011-05-03
According to market analysts, gold and silver will continue their current trend during the coming week. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) left interest rates unchanged, as predicted. Bill Hionas, CEO of Pan American Metals of Miami (PAMOM), confirms that, "...a weakening dollar, fueling fears of inflation, can only push the price of precious metals even higher."
While experts do agree that a correction is bound to happen eventually, it does not appear that this will happen any time soon. Silver leads the way in the rapid rise, almost reaching $50 an ...
Cellulean is Now the Top Choice for Cellulite Treatment
2011-05-03
Cellulean, a topical cellulite treatment, has been noted as not only being effective at removing cellulite, but also very effective in the reduction of love handles. Body builders, both men and women, have attributed a great amount of their success to Cellulean, since it is not only effective at mobilizing fat deposits on the legs, but also significantly reduces the effort required to trim love handles and other unwanted fat.
Currently, the five other leading topical cellulite treatments on the market; Murad, Revitol, CelluliteRx, Cellex-C, and fatgirlslim have been ...
Launch of Innovative Social Media Firm: Metro Media Consulting Group
2011-05-03
Metro Media Consulting Group (New York, Detroit) has opened its doors for business, offering online private and corporate clients and website owners strategic search engine optimization campaigns through an array of social media, press release, web design, and professional writing services.
The firm was the brain child of Suzan Pleva, 27, of Greater Detroit, Michigan.
Said Pleva: "I wanted to create a business which would encompass my best skills and serve the online business community".
Pleva says she has always had both business and creative leanings, ...
Vast Variety and Competitive Prices on Labels at SEL
2011-05-03
For example, the company you run or work at can improve the way in which files and folders are organised. It is not just your working life, though. Take a look around any shop or even your home; labels are everywhere.
With labels playing such an important role in many walks of life, companies will often be on the look out for the best quality and cheapest prices. If this sounds familiar to you, then look no further than South East Labels and their vast range of distinctive label designs, wide variety of equipment and accessories, as well as competitive prices and speed ...
Torrance Dentist, Dr. Robert Mondavi, Now Offers Fluoride Treatment to Prevent Tooth Decay in His Patients
2011-05-03
Torrance cosmetic dentist, Dr. Robert Mondavi, DDS, is known for providing the highest quality of dental care for area residents. New treatments and procedures are constantly added to ensure proper oral health for new and existing patients. To help prevent against tooth decay, fluoride treatments are now offered to keep teeth away from the dangers of tooth decay.
Achieving a healthy smile is a combination of excellent oral hygiene and regular dental checkups. When a person has infrequent oral hygiene, bacteria and plaque begin to degrade the teeth and gum line. The signs ...
Desktop Management Software Goes Multilingual
2011-05-03
triCerat is excited to announce the language localization of their corporate management desktop software, Simplify Suite. Now available in French, German, Spanish and Japanese, the Simplify Suite can now help even more businesses manage their environment with complete control and ease.
The Simplify Suite provides the ability to reliably deploy desktops, control application access, help enforce company policies, reduce logon times, manage personalization for large numbers of virtual desktops, and deliver the correct profile information to the right user at every logon ...
Kids who specialize in 1 sport may have higher injury risk
2011-05-03
MAYWOOD, Il. -- Competitive young athletes are under increasing pressure to play only one sport year round, but such specialization could increase the risk of injuries, a Loyola University Health System study has found.
Preliminary findings of the ongoing study included 154 athletes from all types of sports, with an average age of 13. They came to Loyola for sports physicals or treatment of injuries. The injured athletes had a significantly higher average score on a sports specialization scale than athletes who weren't injured.
"Young athletes who were injured tended ...
Packing on the pounds in middle age linked to dementia
2011-05-03
ST. PAUL, Minn. – According to a new study, being overweight or obese during middle age may increase the risk of certain dementias. The research is published in the May 3, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
"Currently, 1.6 billion adults are overweight or obese worldwide and over 50 percent of adults in the United States and Europe fit into this category," said study author Weili Xu, MD, PhD, with the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. "Our results contribute to the growing evidence that controlling body ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
High-quality nanodiamonds for bioimaging and quantum sensing applications
New clinical practice guideline on the process for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of cognitive impairment or dementia
Evolution of fast-growing fish-eating herring in the Baltic Sea
Cryptographic protocol enables secure data sharing in the floating wind energy sector
Can drinking coffee or tea help prevent head and neck cancer?
Development of a global innovative drug in eye drop form for treating dry age-related macular degeneration
Scientists unlock secrets behind flowering of the king of fruits
Texas A&M researchers illuminate the mysteries of icy ocean worlds
Prosthetic material could help reduce infections from intravenous catheters
Can the heart heal itself? New study says it can
Microscopic discovery in cancer cells could have a big impact
Rice researchers take ‘significant leap forward’ with quantum simulation of molecular electron transfer
Breakthrough new material brings affordable, sustainable future within grasp
How everyday activities inside your home can generate energy
Inequality weakens local governance and public satisfaction, study finds
Uncovering key molecular factors behind malaria’s deadliest strain
UC Davis researchers help decode the cause of aggressive breast cancer in women of color
Researchers discovered replication hubs for human norovirus
SNU researchers develop the world’s most sensitive flexible strain sensor
Tiny, wireless antennas use light to monitor cellular communication
Neutrality has played a pivotal, but under-examined, role in international relations, new research shows
Study reveals right whales live 130 years — or more
Researchers reveal how human eyelashes promote water drainage
Pollinators most vulnerable to rising global temperatures are flies, study shows
DFG to fund eight new research units
Modern AI systems have achieved Turing's vision, but not exactly how he hoped
Quantum walk computing unlocks new potential in quantum science and technology
Construction materials and household items are a part of a long-term carbon sink called the “technosphere”
First demonstration of quantum teleportation over busy Internet cables
Disparities and gaps in breast cancer screening for women ages 40 to 49
[Press-News.org] Sleep Country USA Establishes Itself as a Role Model for Businesses and Community Members to Create a Positive, Lasting ImpactNational Foster Care Month Strives to Inspire Awareness by Honoring Foster Families and Supporters