Sweet Dreams for Kids is on a mission to help kids around the world feel cozy during a hospital stay. They provide free, new pajamas to children in hospitals, allowing patients and their families to experience a small comfort during a frightening time. Sweet Dreams for Kids is a family-run organization that continues to grow and reach more kids each year. Learn more here!
How did you get the idea to start Sweet Dreams for Kids?
I’m a mother of three kids, all of them are important parts of Sweet Dreams for Kids but the idea came to me when my youngest was born. My daughter Dalya was born with cancer, and it was so difficult having her in the hospital at such a young age. Seeing her in hospital pajamas was awful, and I knew I wanted to help give other kids a piece of home so they can feel comfortable during their stay. I had to do something good for other families so that they didn’t feel as alone as I did during that time. Dalya is our walking miracle, she’s the inspiration behind everything I do.
Who do you get pajamas from and where do you distribute them to?
We are all donation based, whether it’s donating new pajama sets or money to purchase new pajama sets. We send new pajamas to hospitals and to individuals who request them all over the world. This year we’re celebrating our 14th anniversary, and we’ve sent over 30,000 pairs of pajamas. So far, we’ve donated to nearly all 50 states and 7 countries. When I started this, I thought I would be sending a few pairs here and there to the hospital where Dalya was, it’s a shock to see how much it’s grown. We don’t have a staff, it’s just me and my children managing this— mostly me and Dalya. We like to say that I’m the founder but she’s the president. She’s my right-hand person in running this, and she’s just as passionate about it as I am. She always loves to make others happy and smile.
How can people get involved in the work you do?
The best and easiest thing is monetary donations. That’s always the most helpful because sending big boxes of pajamas is really expensive, especially when we are sending them to international hospitals. It's also helpful for people to like us on Facebook and share our website. We’re always grateful to receive any new pair of pajamas. We request a two-piece set in any size from newborn to adult. People can reach out to us to provide a donation as a birthday or holiday gift for someone, and we use that money to purchase a pajama set for a kid in a hospital. We’re always trying to connect with as many hospitals as we can because the more places that know about us, the more children we can help. It’s my goal for every children’s hospital to have access to comfortable, cute pajamas for kids.
What is the best part of your job?
It’s hard for me to even call this a job because it’s such a big piece of my heart. Beyond providing pajamas, I love knowing that we are helping families feel supported and making kids smile. When people read and learn about why and how we started, they realize that we are a family that understands what they are going through. We get how lonely and hard it is to see your child sick in a hospital bed, and I’ve been able to keep in touch with so many families over the years. It’s a really personal process, everyone who requests pajamas gets an individualized email from me to ensure that their needs are being met. It’s a way for me and Dalya to pay it forward to people who are in the shoes we once were.