Ashley Furniture to give 500 or more sleep sets to children

Plans to increase A Hope to Dream program in 2012

Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, December 12, 2011

ARCADIA, Wis. — Ashley Furniture said it will provide 500 or more sleep sets this holiday season with more in 2012 as part of its Ashley Furniture HomeStore's A Hope to Dream program, which provides bedding for underprivileged children across the country.

"Seeing the warmhearted smile of a child who just received a new mattress to sleep on is on the most gratifying experiences you can ever imagine," said John Disa, president of Ashley HomeStores.

"We have so many people to thank as we begin yet another year of helping those wonderful families, including our local stores, partners and all of the thoughtful community members who continue to nominate these exceptional kids and share their inspiring stories," Disa said.

Since the program began in 2010, Ashley has made a $5 donation to A Hope to Dream for every mattress purchased by customers at participating locations. Thanks to these efforts, more than 1,300 children are sleeping on a new Ashley Sleep Augusta Memory Foam mattress, and the company plans to boost that number in 2012.

Some stores are going above and beyond the company donation, like the Ashley Furniture HomeStore in Jacksonville, Fla., which just donated 50 mattress sets to the Salvation Army's Toy Shop.

"Without a safe, comfortable place to lay their heads, children are at a huge disadvantage," said Disa. "But something as simple as a new mattress can impact a child's overall health, mood and energy level in a profoundly positive way."