Beds 4 Kids program helping community

Nov. 3—A local program is helping children and families sleep better at night.

Dillon Roberts, assistant director of operations for Shared Blessings, said Beds 4 Kids works to offer free beds to children in the area in need — but the program will meet any need.

"We have quite a few families that we keep extra beds and mattresses just for anybody," Roberts said. "Most things we do, we don't have to turn people down. If somebody comes in and said they don't have a bed, we're going to do what we can to get them a bed."

Shared Blessings is a nonprofit that works with school counselors and teachers to identify students who have inadequate sleeping arrangements, whether from not having a bed to sharing a bed with siblings or sleeping on the floor or couch. The organization states numerous studies have shown inadequate sleeping arrangements affect a child's ability to do well in school, among other things.

Children who are identified will then receive a new bed, bed frame, bedding, and pillow.

"Sometimes the kids just moved into town, sometimes they have to switch houses real quick, and stuff like that and they don't have a bed at all," Roberts said.

Roberts said the Beds 4 Kids program started in May 2016 and has donated 23 so far this year with 15 coming from Tannehill Furniture.

Trevor Tannehill, owner and president of Tannehill Furniture at Fifth Street and Chickasaw Avenue in McAlester, said he wants to give back to the community and reached out to Shared Blessings earlier this year.

Throughout the month of September, for every sale of a queen- or king-sized mattress, Tannehill Furniture donated a twin sized mattress, a box spring, and the frame to Beds 4 Kids.

Roberts said when a bed is needed for a child, the schools will arrange pickup and will deliver the bed with Shared Blessings and other volunteers donating their time to make a delivery when needed.

Schools mostly contact the organization, but Roberts said parents can visit Shared Blessings if a need arises.

Roberts said the program's need fluctuates throughout the year with the highest demand when school begins in August.

Mattresses are donated through businesses like Tannehill Furniture and normal citzens alike throughout the year.

"A lot of people will donate mattresses," Roberts said. "If they're clean and all that we'll keep them for people that need them."

Donations of clean beds can be made at Shared Blessings, 1558 S. Main St. in McAlester. Monetary donations can also be made.

Tannehill said although the bed drive has ended for this year, the business plans to again participate in the assistance program in early 2023.

Until then, Tannehill said he will continue to look for ways to work with Shared Blessing and other McAlester-area charities.

"We always try to help out with any events in our community. Any type of event we can help with, we always try to," Tannehill said.

He said his business has always contributed to area charities and events since his grandmother, Bernice, started Tannehill Furniture in 1989.

"That's where I learned everything," Tannehill said. "My grandma always told me that the community takes care of us, so we take care of them. Anything we can do to give back or help, we are more than willing to do so."

Tannehill said he remembers helping his grandmother as a child wrap gifts for less fortunate children and move donated furniture to the youth shelter and other organizations.

"I remember seeing their faces light up when we delivered the packages or came into the store to pick up their presents," Tannehill said. "I'll always remember that feeling."

More recent projects undertaken by Tannehill and his employees include helping move pallets of donated water to Webbers Falls during the flooding in 2019 and collecting toys and other items for children for area Angel Trees.

"Seeing those people in the shelter we dropped the water off who lost everything really humbled me," he said.

Tannehill Furniture also donates gift certificates and furniture as prizes for bingo nights, drawings, and other fundraisers held by area charity organizations.

For the Christmas season, Tannehill Furniture will host a toy giveaway and free photos with Santa on Dec. 17 from 1-4 p.m.

"Anytime we can come together and support our neighbors, we most definitely will," Tannehill said.

For more information about Shared Blessings' Bed 4 Kids program, contact the organization at 918-423-8624.