2655 Crescent Springs Road
Covington, KY 41017
Sweet Dreams Bed Program
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul NKY (SVdPNKY) is a network of friends, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with, and service to, people in need. The most important part of its mission is to provide hope. Since 1911 SVdP-NKY has provided basic necessities, such as rent and utility assistance and food.
This grant provided from the Dater Foundation supported the Sweet Dreams Bed Program and provided 178 beds for economically disadvantaged youth 16 years and younger. The intentions of this program are: to prevent health and behavioral issues that may occur as the result of poor sleeping conditions; and to allow families raising relatives to gain custody as a bed for each child is required by law. A total of 592 beds were distributed, of which 56 beds were provided for custody/kinship cases. Beds were not distributed for a short time during the summer of 2020 due to supplier issues as the result of COVID-19. However, requests were kept and filled when the beds became available.
While numbers tell one part of this program’s effect, client stories describe the true impact. Clara, single and unemployed due to COVID-19, was asked to take custody of two young relatives, ages seven and 15. With no money to care for the children, she contacted the Sweet Dreams Program to ask for beds for the children. “Without getting beds through St. Vincent, my nieces would have gone into foster care. They also gave us food and clothing vouchers to their thrift store. St. Vincent’s was a life saver!”