Sweet Dream Makers

Between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021, Sweet Dream Makers has assisted 4583 families with 9884 beds and bedding. As significant as these figures may seem, only a fraction of the projected demand is being met.

Sweet Dream Makers' goal for the “A Bed of My Own" project is to continually invest in the future of Palm Beach and Broward County children and their families by improving their living situations with clean, safe, and comfortable beds. The gift of a comfortable bed keeps giving back night after night, ultimately providing the opportunity for a brighter future and sweet dreams.

Caregivers report that the children are reading more, getting along better with their siblings, and achieving higher grades in school. Many are watching less TV, waking up happier, and sleeping through the night.

In addition to providing new beds and bedding, we distribute at no cost gently used essential furniture. Items such as dressers, sofas, and dining tables reduce chaos and promote a sense of harmony within the home.

Sweet Dream Makers (SDM) collaborates with over 75 local and state social service agencies who notify us of the need for beds and bedding pertaining to the individual families they serve. SDM provides a response tailored to each family's requirements. An important component of the case manager's initial consult with a family they serve is a home study that may reveal first-hand unsuitable sleeping arrangements of children for whom the case manager is responsible. Case managers know that sleep deprivation may contribute substantially to behavior issues and poor school performance.

Case managers assist with information about community needs, helping us to establish our service goals. They are our eyes and ears in the field, identifying severe and special needs. We respond by helping improve efficiency and effectiveness. Case managers help us prioritize cases and contribute to program strategy by conducting post surveys that measure our impact and help define possible changes.

Annual funding from foundations, corporations, and individuals will bring us closer to the projected need for 300 plus beds per month in our area. Our partnership with two local furniture companies has provided beds at a very reduced rate stretching contributions even further.

With three staff members and one part-time volunteer, we are able to fill the immediate need for beds and bedding for families. After a thoughtful vetting process, items are ordered and delivered directly to the family within 24-48 hours.

For $250 a child receives a new mattress and mattress encasement to protect against bed bugs and bed-wetting, box spring, frame, sheets, comforter, and fresh pillows. Children choose their own bedding, a special treat as many have few personal belongings. "A Bed of My Own" creates precious personal space and acts as a pathway to safety and self-worth. A good night's sleep prepares children to face the everyday challenges they must overcome to succeed in school and in life.

Originally a program of Temple Beth El, Boca Raton, Sweet Dream Makers became an independent 501(c)(3) in 2016 in order to meet the staggering need for beds we were witnessing in our community. (Palm Beach County ranks 2nd in Florida for children living in conditions not fit for human habitation.)

In 2017, our first full year as an independent 501(c)(3), Sweet Dream Makers budgeted to provide 480 beds, but actually provided 925, stretching to meet the urgent need that revealed itself once the word was out about our work. For 2018, we cautiously budgeted for 720 purchased and 80 beds donated, totaling 800 units but actually provided 1587. And in 2019, we budgeted for 1800 beds and provided 2011. Then COVID19 hit and requests were up over 50% through the first half of the year. 2020 ended with us filling every reasonable request for a bed totaling 2433. In 2021, we rolled out a controlled expansion into Broward County and ended the year providing 2884 beds to children and their families.

Our 2022 budget was to supply 2500 beds throughout Palm Beach and Broward Counties, however, we now know that the total requests for beds will surpass 3,000.

We are actively seeking additional funding for our Broward County Expansion project. Our goal is to be able to provide Broward County families with at least 100 beds per month and increase our services by at least 50% as funding allows.