Sweet Dream in a Bag

Our Mission

Sweet Dream in a Bag is a 501 (c) (3) Public Charity that gifts children living in poverty with a new bedding package. The children usually reside in a temporary home or attend a head start school as their family is attempting to rebuild their lives. Sweet Dream’s passion is to offer the entire family acceptance, love, encouragement and hope.

From website:

How It All started

Sweet Dream in a Bag was founded in 2010 by Susie and Wayne Fox and has gifted thousands of children, living in poverty, along Colorado’s front range with new bedding packages.

It all started with Susie, while watching Extreme Makeover on TV, got a vision of helping children. She acted on the vision because of her childhood memories of having a safe place in her chaotic home.

Susie loves children and used her artful talents to design exciting bedding bags for the children.

Who We Are

Sweet Dream in a Bag is an all-volunteer Public Charity with volunteers that graciously give their time for the children. The volunteers provide their own transportation to the events. Sweet Dream has no paid staff. All administrative costs are donated by the founders, so 100 percent of donations go directly to purchase the children’s bedding.

Our Program

Sweet Dream in a Bag is a 501 (c) (3), Public Charity mission is to gift children living in poverty with new bedding packages.

The children receiving bedding usually reside in a temporary housing during the time their family is attempting to rebuild their lives. As we gift children in families that attend head start schools. Each child is screened for bedding needs by the case workers, teachers or agency managers.

The packaging events are held on the third Saturday of each month, except in December. (check the volunteering calendar for dates) Other private packaging events are held as approved and scheduled.

Sweet Dream new bedding packages are artfully assembled by volunteers in a vinyl plastic bag to look like a present. The bedding package consists of an exciting new twin comforter, pillow, twin sheet set, twin fleece blanket, tooth brush and tooth paste, wooden toy, personalized book and a stuffed toy.  Sweet Dream can put together a bag for about $60, there is over $120 worth of bedding in each bag if items were purchased separately.

The gifting events are held at one of over 70 agencies in the Denver Metro area and along the front range of Colorado. Volunteers at the gifting events help the children select their exciting new bedding packages, sits down with each child and reads or listens a story titled “You are Awesome”.

Things We Value

We value the importance of each child having some beauty and order in their lives and a few new things to call their own.

Giving the children choice of their bedding packages in a life of few choices. (they usually get second-had items in black plastic bags)

Communicating to them that they have self-worth and they are cared about, important to the volunteers, others and God loves them.

Gifting bedding to children of any age who reside with their families. (Some other non-profit programs age out children over 12 years old)

We Serve

We gift bedding packages to children and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, disabilities, age or gender. We also gift bedding to American and Alaskans children in Colorado Springs, have projects for the disabled and gift bedding to children of Disabled American Veteran Families.

Impact

To the children and their families:

Agencies report that children receiving new bedding that have just move into their temporary housing adjust to their new home quickly.

New bedding empowers children and families without enabling them.

Communicates they are loved, cared for and important to their communities.

Child, “Can I really take this bedding home”?

Boy upon getting air mattress, “Now I won’t have to sleep with anyone or on the floor”

They can sleep in bedding they chose.

On cold winter nights, the bedding keeps the child warm.

It is the last nice thing the child sees and feels when they go to sleep and the first thing they feels and sees when they wake up in the morning.

To the volunteers:

“We love volunteering and coming to Sweet Dream events and being able to teach our children to give back”

“There are few projects that are available for families with children of different ages, that is why we come”

“We wanted to help others, but didn’t know how to, until now”

“To see the impact on these children and see their face light up when they select their new bedding packages keeps me coming back to volunteer for more events”