The Greater Augusta Family YMCA’s “A Place to Dream” bed program will deliver its 1,000th bed, Wednesday, January 29th, 3:00 p.m., 2608 Brookshire Road, Augusta GA 30906.  This delivery marks the milestone of 1,000 beds delivered since the program’s inception in November 2017.
 
This delivery also marks the launch of an ongoing program with the Richmond County Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS) the Juvenile Court system and the Family YMCA to ensure that children in our community have a safe place to sleep while lowering the infant mortality rate in Richmond County due to co-sleeping.
 
This partnership will also ensure that families in need have appropriate sleeping arrangements to “protect Georgia’s vulnerable children.”  Families’ needs will be coordinated and vetted through DFACS work with the Court and the Y for beds in the designated homes.
 
Nearly two-thirds of under resourced families in the CSRA have children without beds. Many sleep on the floor, air mattresses, sofas or crowded into a bed with numerous family members.  Going to bed at night in a clean, comfortable bed is something often taken for granted. Many area residents sleep on the floor, air mattresses, sofas or crowded into a bed with numerous family members. Research has found that children with proper bedding sleep an average of 20 minutes longer each night versus children who have unfavorable sleeping arrangements.  That adds up to more than 2 hours a week.  Recent studies link poor sleep with cognitive, physical and behavioral health issues.
 
“When we started A Place to Dream our goal was 500 beds delivered the first year.  We exceeded that before the end of the first year, and the program has just exploded, and we’re can’t begin to keep up with the demand. But now, more than 1,000 children have a clean, comfortable place to sleep that wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s incredible the positive impact this has on each child, but within the entire home as well,” says Danny McConnell, President and CEO, the Great Augusta Family YMCA.  “And with the new partnership with DFACS and the Juvenile Court, we can help families who may be dealing with difficult “life” issues for their kids, and at least provide basic comfort for their children to have an adequate place to sleep.  It seems small but makes a big difference and hope to make a dent in that need,” says Danny McConnell, President and CEO, the Greater Augusta Family YMCA.
 
“The Augusta Judicial Circuit Juvenile Court is so excited to move forward with this awesome partnership between DFCS, Juvenile Court and the YMCA “A Place to Dream” program. So often, our parents have reached the point of successfully completing their case plan, where they can be reunited with their children.  However, there are certain barriers, such as having appropriate beds for the children to sleep in that delay the reunification.  Now, we can expedite reunifying families. Most of our children, for the first time, will have their very own bed that they do not have to share with several other siblings, a true “place to dream” all their own.  This partnership is an excellent example of our community coming together to wraparound our children and families when they need it the most,” says Judge Amanda N. Heath, Augusta Judicial Circuit, Juvenile Court.
 
"Richmond County DFACS is incredibly grateful and honored to have this partnership with the Y to provide beds to many of the families we serve our child welfare programs.  This enables children to have a comfortable place to sleep and will undoubtably help them have better physical and emotional health and be more successful on a daily basis,” says Teresa Hughes, DFACS Richmond County Director.