BedMart assists Portland’s homeless

DONATION DAY BedMart Vice President Elana Stone (center) poses for a group shot with staff from Central City Concern, a Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit that provides assistance to homeless families and individuals.

Pacific Northwest sleep-shop chain BedMart Mattress Superstores, with headquarters in Portland, Oregon, has partnered with Tempur Sealy in the donation of 206 new Tempur-Pedic beds to a network of eight homeless shelters in the Portland area. The eight nonprofits—Central City Concern, Janus Youth Programs, Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest, Luke-Dorf, Macdonald Center, New Avenues for Youth, Portland Rescue Mission and Transition Projects—were chosen because, in addition to providing transitional housing, they offer comprehensive support services to individuals, families and children.

BedMart said more than 60 community members attended the donation event on June 25 to learn more about the work of the nonprofits.

“(Our) No. 1 focus is the comfort of and support for the families we serve every day—this led to our involvement in transitional housing, because even people without a home should have a safe, comfortable place to sleep,” said Elana Stone, BedMart vice president and spokesperson. “Our BedMart family is proud to contribute to such great causes because we’re a company supported by the local community; being able to reciprocate and give back means everything to us.”

To date, BedMart and Tempur Sealy together have donated 500 mattresses to nonprofits in Portland. The retailer said its goal is to supply all transitional housing facilities in Portland with clean, new mattresses.