Just like flowers, plants, and trees, kids
grow. For most kids, growing is nothing more than a few pains and a trip to
the mall for a size up in clothing. However, for the more than 23,000
foster children in the Pacific Northwest, keeping up with this growth is an
incredible challenge. Purchasing new clothes is often not in their
caregivers budget and foster children, who at times come only with the
clothes on their back, have to make do with ill-fitting or second-hand
clothing.
Sleep Country USA, the Northwests largest seller of premium mattresses,
strives to change this. Today, the company announced the beginning of its
third annual new clothing drive for foster children. Donations of new
clothing items, including new shoes, new pants, new tops, new socks and
packaged undergarments in all sizes from infants to teenagers are being
accepted at any of Sleep Country USAs stores throughout the region.
Contributions will be collected until April 15th, 2007 for distribution to
the 18 Pacific Northwest foster care organizations that have partnered with
the company.
“Foster children are faced with incredible challenges given their unique
situations,” said Jessica L. Ross, community outreach manager at Treehouse,
a Seattle-based non-profit organization dedicated to helping foster
children in King county. “Receiving a new pair of pants often means the
world to them — just knowing that someone else cares about them. The
clothes kids wear have a big impact on how they feel about themselves and
foster children, like other kids, just want to fit in.”
“Its important to us as a local company to invest in our community,” said
Terry Horsley, executive vice president of marketing merchandising, Sleep
Country USA. “We understand that foster children have to overcome more
than most of us can imagine in a lifetime, and sometimes the simplest
gestures can alter ones existence in a very positive way. With help from
other area businesses and the incredible generosity of individuals, the
Sleep Country Foster Kids campaign will continue to have a positive effect
on these kids and hopefully, over time, make a considerable change in the
lives of every child.”
Ever since CPSC revised its childrens clothing flammability standard, there have been outcries that children are not being protected from accidental injury caused by fire. The data showed, however, a dramatic drop in burn injuries related to childrens clothing. Now, CPSC will have an excellent data collection tool to get accurate counts on burns related to childrens clothing. The agency has a cooperative effort with the American Burn Association and Shriners Hospitals for Children, called the National Burn Center Reporting System. At the same time, CPSC is working cooperatively with the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) to attempt to retrieve and preserve the clothing involved in such burn injuries. The NASFM has recommended that a committee consisting of the National Volunteer Fire Council, the National Fire Protection Association, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and NASFM develop a protocol for use by “first responders” across the country. (15)
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