Equipped for Success: Foster Kids Receive Much-Needed School Supplies From Sleep Country USA Drive

SEATTLE, WA, September 24, 2010 (Press-News.org) This year, area foster children prepared for the first day of school with the same confidence their peers enjoy, knowing they had the school supplies needed to participate and excel in school. Thanks to communities and individuals who contributed to the annual Sleep Country USA School Supply Drive for foster kids, more than 32,000 items were donated. These donations, including new backpacks, pencils, pens, calculators and notebooks, will benefit Washington and Oregon's more than 26,000 foster kids.

"The first day of a new school year is nerve-wracking enough without having to worry about having the appropriate supplies. We aim to help foster kids feel prepared and not only ease that first-day stress, but also set them up for success and confidence throughout the year," said Terry Horsley, vice president of brand strategy for Sleep Country USA. "We're grateful for the support of our generous community of donors, reinforcing our belief that while not everyone can be a foster parent, anyone can help a foster child ."

Sleep Country USA (www.sleepcountryusa.com), the number one bedding specialist in the Northwest, holds its annual School Supply Drive as part of an ongoing effort to provide foster children with items their foster families might not be able to afford. The new school supplies are distributed among Sleep Country USA's sixteen regional foster care partners who provide foster children and their families with help to obtain the items they need for a successful school year.
"Each year, Olive Crest is extremely thankful for the school supplies we receive from Sleep Country's drive," said Kevin Hunter, executive director at Olive Crest. "The generosity of those who donate and companies like Sleep Country USA not only gives the children and teens in our program a great start to a new school year, but also a strong sense of support from their surrounding communities."

As an additional incentive for helping foster kids get off on the right foot at school, Sleep Country USA again teamed up with Wild Waves Theme Park for a day of fun in the sun at their twice-annual Wild Waves Day for Foster Kids event on August 22. Attendees who donated school supplies received half-price admission, and Sleep Country USA also hosted 500 foster families free of charge. In total, over 3,100 school supplies were collected during this event.

If you've missed the chance to support area foster children with new school supplies, Sleep Country USA's annual Coat Drive begins on September 27, 2010. New coats can be donated at any Sleep Country USA location through October 31. For more information on Sleep Country USA's ongoing foster kids programs, or to find the closest Sleep Country USA 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
Tanya Mahr
(206) 227-4774 | tanya@revolutionpr.com