Michigan nonprofit, Sweet Dreamzzz, receives $6,000 grant for sleep education

PLYMOUTH, Mich. - May 7, 2018 - PRLog -- A brighter future, filled with greater health and well-being, along with an increased chance at academic success, is in store for the Head Start students at Starfish Family Services in Plymouth. How? The Karen Colina Wilson Foundation awarded local nonprofit, Sweet Dreamzzz, Inc., a $6,000 grant to serve these children in need with its Early Childhood Sleep Education Program™.

Founded in 2006, the Karen Colina Wilson Foundation is committed to making a difference in the lives of women and children, and supports programs to enhance health, welfare, safety and well-being, and development opportunities in education. A perfect match!

Starfish Parent, Family & Community Engagement/Mental Health Specialist, Tammy Coker, worked with Sweet Dreamzzz™ in the past at different sites and is excited to do so again.

"Starfish Head Start families and staff would like to thank Sweet Dreamzzz for developing an amazing curriculum for parents and students. Parents say, 'We still refer to the R.E.A.D.Y. steps and the magnet on our refrigerator. My three-year-old says 'It's 8 o'clock and time for bed,' as he points to the clock on his bedroom door," she says. "This grant is important to help families realize that before children can be ready for school, young children need adequate rest. This will increase our School Readiness goals."

Sweet Dreamzzz will train the Starfish teaching teams on a two-week, in-school curriculum which focuses on developing healthy bedtime routines. Each student will receive a teddy bear to practice the steps with, like relaxing before bed, eating a healthy snack, brushing teeth and washing up, and going to sleep at 8 p.m. The educators will receive classroom tools and reproducibles so they can continue to implement the program year after year. They will also be trained on the Sweet Dreamzzz Parent Sleep Education Workshop and will present the workshop to the parents, who will receive bedtime routine charts with stickers and a R.E.A.D.Y.™ routine magnet to reinforce the lessons with their children.

Starfish Family Services

A nonprofit founded in 1963, Starfish Family Services serves vulnerable children and families in metro Detroit. As a leading provider of Head Start programs, they strive to prepare children for a successful start to school with early childhood development and a mission to strengthen families to create a brighter future for children.

Sweet Dreamzzz, Inc.
Founded in 1998, Sweet Dreamzzz, Inc. is a regional nonprofit organization committed to improving children's health, well-being, and academic performance by providing sleep education and bedtime essentials to economically disadvantaged students and their families. Based in Metro Detroit, Sweet Dreamzzz educates children and families about the benefits of healthy sleep and establishing a bedtime routine using innovative programs including its Early Childhood Sleep Education Program, Parent Sleep Education Workshop, and R.E.M. (Rest. Educate. Motivate.) Sleep Program. Since its founding, Sweet Dreamzzz has served more than 55,000 at-risk children and families. For more information, please visit www.SweetDreamzzz.org.