HOUSTON, May 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mattress Firm
(NASDAQ: MFRM) announced today the launch of Mattress Firm Foster
Kids, a company-wide philanthropic initiative aimed at making a
positive impact on the lives of thousands of foster youth in need.
The company will host six annual donation drives at more than 3,500
stores across the country, collecting everyday items that include
shoes, clothing, pajamas and school supplies, as well as toys and
funds that support extra-curricular activities.
"There are more than 415,000 children in the U.S. foster care
system – that is a staggering number. While we know that not
everyone can be a foster parent, anyone can help a foster child,
and that is why we are launching the Mattress Firm Foster Kids
initiative," said Ken Murphy,
president and CEO of Mattress Firm. "Our national presence can help
improve the lives of foster children, and we're doing everything in
our power to rally our teams and the communities that we serve to
provide these children with everyday necessities."
Mattress Firm Foster Kids will launch with a national clothing
drive from Monday, May 2 through
Sunday, June 26. Stores across the
country will collect new shirts, pants, dresses, coats and more for
foster children. Mattress Firm Foster Kids partners with local
foster care nonprofit organizations in markets across the country,
which will distribute the collected items to foster youth in the
community. All items collected stay in the community where they
were donated.
In correlation with National Foster Care Month in May, Mattress
Firm is hosting a Kid Heroes photo contest to recognize children
who are making an impact on foster care organizations in their
local communities. Parents can submit a photo of their favorite kid
hero giving back to local foster kids for a chance to win a
donation for a local foster care nonprofit partner, plus a Toys "R"
Us gift card.
The contest details are as follows:
- From Monday, May 2 – Sunday, May 22, 2016, take a photo of your kid
hero participating in a Mattress Firm clothing drive in your
community. Photos can include collecting clothing items from people
in the community or dropping off donations at a local Mattress Firm
store.
- Share the photo on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag
#Donate4FosterKids, or direct upload the photo online at
www.MattressFirm.com/KidHeroes and include a caption about why your
kid hero is passionate about helping foster kids.
- Share your photo submission with friends and family, asking
them to vote for your kid hero.
- On Monday, May 23, the five
photos with the highest number of votes will move onto the finalist
round from Monday, May 23 –
Sunday, May 29, 2016.
- The photo with the most votes by Sunday,
May 29, will win the Kid Heroes contest. The winning child
will win a $4,500 donation to the
local Mattress Firm Foster Kids nonprofit partner of his or her
choice, plus a $500 Toys "R" Us gift
card.
Mattress Firm Foster Kids, through the Ticket to Dream
Foundation, was launched to make a positive impact on the lives of
the thousands of foster youth nationwide. Throughout the year,
Mattress Firm stores across the country will host six drives to
collect funds and essential items including pajamas, clothes, shoes
and school supplies to help make the transition for foster kids
smoother and assist with costs for the foster families. Donations
can also be made online, and all gifts will be used by Mattress
Firm Foster Kids' carefully selected foster care partners to
provide foster children with special programs and services.
For more about Mattress Firm Foster Kids and the Kids Heroes
photo contest, please visit www.MattressFirm.com/KidHeroes.
About Mattress Firm
With more than 3,500
company-operated and franchised stores across 48 states, Mattress
Firm (NASDAQ: MFRM) has the largest geographic footprint in
the United States among
multi-brand mattress retailers. With the 2016 acquisition of
Sleepy's, Mattress Firm is the nation's first border-to-border,
coast-to-coast specialty bedding retailer. Founded in 1986,
Houston-based Mattress Firm is the
nation's leading bedding retailer with pro forma sales of over
$3.5 billion over the last twelve
months. The company offers a broad selection of both traditional
and specialty mattresses, bedding accessories and other related
products from leading manufacturers, including Sealy, Tempur-Pedic,
Serta, Simmons, Stearns & Foster, and Hampton & Rhodes.
Mattress Firm guarantees price, comfort and service with the
ultimate goal of ensuring that customers Save Money. Sleep
Happy™.
Mattress Firm was named Furniture Today's "Top Bedding Retailer"
in 2013 and a "Top Workplace" by the Houston Chronicle in 2011,
2012 and 2013. More information is available
at mattressfirm.com, or on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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