What’s the News?
More than 60 children in Jackson and Cass counties will soon be able to sleep in their first bed, thanks to contributions from AT&T and volunteer construction work by AT&T® employees.
The company is contributing $15,000 to the Kansas City SE Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), a national non-profit which builds and delivers bunk beds to children and families in need.
Why is this important?
AT&T has embraced supporting education as one of the best ways to help build a community now and into the future. Frequently, that support emphasizes technology, such as our companywide efforts which are part of the AT&T Connected Learning initiative to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability and safe adoption.
Yet we also understand that academic success is also impacted by factors such as self-confidence, self-worth and health.
In the past five years, the Kansas City SE chapter of SHP has built beds for nearly 2,700 children. Whether received by children in foster care or those who are sleeping on floors due to economic hardship, the beds deliver a message of caring and encouragement.
What are people saying?
“Every child deserves a safe, comfortable, warm place to sleep and the dignity of a place to call their own,” said Scott Foster, Chapter President of SHP. “That’s what our beds provide. The smiles, laughs, screams and tears that come from a child when they receive a bed of their own says it all.”
“It is easy to take for granted the blessing of having a bed to sleep in,” said Missouri state Sen. Mike Cierpiot. “But for many children in need, a bed of their own can seem like an impossible dream. I appreciate and applaud the work of Sleep in Heavenly Peace and its volunteers who are literally changing lives and giving hope to these children.”
“At AT&T, we believe that educational achievement is the key to a positive future and that every child has the potential to succeed,” said Craig Unruh, President, AT&T Missouri & Arkansas. “But a child who comes to school without a good night’s sleep is already at a disadvantage before the class bell even rings. We are excited to support SHP and are proud of the AT&T employees who are volunteering their time and skills to make a difference for children.”
*About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T
We’re committed to advancing education, creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and improving lives. As part of our companywide commitment to address the digital divide, we launched AT&T Connected Learning to invest in connectivity and technology, digital literacy, and education solutions to help today’s learners succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Since 2008 we’ve committed to programs that help millions of students across all 50 states, Washington D.C. and around the world, particularly those in underserved communities.
*About Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP)
At SHP, we fully believe that a bed is a basic need for the proper physical, emotional, and mental support that a child needs. When it was brought to our attention that the need for beds went far beyond our own neighborhoods, we stepped up and took initiative. We’re a national organization answering the call to a national problem. For mor information, including to volunteer or to donate, go to https://shpbeds.org/
