St. Vincent de Paul - Cincinnati
1125 Bank Street
Cincinnati, OH 45214
Sleep Tight: Beds for Cincinnati Children in Need
Grant Application:
SVDP’s Sleep Tight: Beds for Cincinnati Children in Need program provides free beds to children from vulnerable families across Hamilton County. These children are sharing beds with parents and siblings, or in some cases, they are actually sleeping on the floor. The reality is that there is a hidden crisis in this community: children are without their own, safe place to lay their head at night. These shocking situations are not uncommon for vulnerable families who have suffered homelessness, evictions, bed bug infestations, or other traumatic events that have caused serious turmoil and left them unable to afford beds for their children. With a $25,000 grant from the Dater Foundation, SVDP will provide 171 children with their own beds while simultaneously improving their safety, health, comfort, and hope for the future.
nt Application:
Goals/Objectives:
In the City of Cincinnati alone, the latest American Community Survey estimates that more than 28,000 children live below the federal poverty level. That is, 28,000 kids are at-risk of going without basic necessities such as beds each day. Through the Sleep Tight: Beds for Cincinnati Children in Need program, SVDP offers families a solution to this significant problem. Each year, SVDP provides hundreds of families with vouchers for bed sets, including the bed frame, box spring, mattress, and mattress cover. With a $30,000 grant from the Dater Foundation, SVDP aimed to provide 230 children with their own beds.
Grant Evaluation Report:
SVDP serves resilient and inspiring neighbors from across Hamilton County who are unable to meet their basic needs. Some neighbors come from generational poverty while others face financial instability resulting from lost jobs, reduced work hours, unexpected car repairs, deaths in the family, or other life emergencies. SVDP serves diverse neighbors of all races, genders, religions, ages, and family situations. However, because poverty, poor health, and other systemic issues disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, SVDP’s beneficiaries are overwhelmingly African American and female. Additionally, because of the large numbers of children living in poverty, over 40% of all ultimate beneficiaries of SVDP’s programs are children.
The program goal is to ensure that all families across Hamilton County have a safe, comfortable place for each family member to sleep at night. To work towards achieving this goal, SVDP anticipates distributing 1,812 beds to neighbors in need. With a new bedding partner, SVDP has been able to lower the average cost of beds, allowing funding to have a greater impact on Greater Cincinnati neighbors.
While the most salient outcome of this program is the newfound access neighbors in need have to their own place to sleep, there are many other benefits that beds provide. For example, many studies have articulated the extensive health benefits of sleep and the corresponding challenges caused by poor sleep. Poor sleep--which results from an insufficient, unsafe, or uncomfortable sleeping area--can cause inattention, increased risk of injury, reduced immune function, learning and memory problems, and additional complications. Notably, children who are sleep-deprived struggle more in school, and adults who are sleep-deprived struggle to succeed at work. One National Sleep Foundation study even found that one of the best predictors of school failure is a child’s fatigue. These beds are tangible symbols of stability, security, dignity, and comfort.
Results:
Since July 2022, SVDP has distributed 297 beds to children who were previously sleeping on the floor or sharing beds with parents, siblings, or other family members. SVDP’s $30,000 grant from the Dater Foundation provided 230 of these children’s beds. During this same time period, SVDP’s Bed Program has distributed 889 additional beds to adults in need of a safe, comfortable place to sleep.
Website:
http://www.svdpcincinnati.org Amount: $30,000
Date: June 2022
