When the sun goes down and the time for sleep has come, where do you go? Do you walk into a bedroom with a comfortable bed awaiting you with warm blankets and pillows? Do you feel safe as you climb under the covers and prepare yourself for the final end to your day? Now, imagine that you don’t have a bedroom to walk into, imagine you don’t have a bed to crawl into, and the end of your day is simply just an onset of another day that will bring the same harsh realities of the missing pieces of your home. Far too often is this the reality for families within the poverty stricken population. In many ways, a comfortable and safe place to sleep is often overlooked by those who are not exposed to such harsh conditions. But, for the families that face the end of their days with little to any comfort it can be quite detrimental to their health and well-being.
The need for beds and cribs within the Washtenaw County community remains a growing and changing reality. In 2016, Friends In Deed continued their efforts to fulfill that need for struggling low-income families. Not only does the organization focus on providing beds and cribs, they also provide other pieces of furniture. Imagine the wonder and excitement that the families experience when they see a truckload of donations come to their house, apartment, or condo and their home changes from just walls and a floor to a warm and welcoming home full of love and promise.
The importance of sleep can’t be stressed enough. One of the first points made by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute makes about the importance of sleep is, “Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.” For children, the effects of lack of sleep can be monumental. Having access to the typical comforts of a home is also accredited with positive outlook and higher confidence levels among children.
Friends In Deed seeks to fill that need for beds and cribs for as many families as possible. With your help, a mother, father, child, and other family members may end their day in a comfortable way, which will give light to a new day of possibilities.
By Kelsey McInerney, an EMU student who volunteered her time working on the 2016 Holiday Bed & Crib Drive