Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Beds for Kids Marks 10 Years with Virtual Event Featuring HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge
April 23,
2021 by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry 
Beds for Kids, the nonprofit tackling furniture poverty by providing beds and essential furniture to children and families in need, is celebrating its 10th anniversary by hosting a virtual kick-off event entitled "Improving Lives: Addressing the Affordable Housing Crisis in Charlotte."
The event will take place Thursday, May 6 on Zoom and will feature Marcia Fudge, United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, as the keynote speaker.
The event will also include remarks from North Carolina Congresswoman Alma Adams and a dynamic panel discussion with:
- Fulton Meachem, Jr., President & CEO of INLIVIAN
- Pamela J. Wideman, director of the City of Charlotte's Housing & Neighborhood Services Department
- Laura Yates Clark, CEO, United Way of Central Carolinas
- Bakari Sellers, former South Carolina Congressman, author, and political analyst
- Mark Ethridge, partner, Ascent Real Estate Capital
- Malcolm Graham, executive director of Beds for Kids and Charlotte City Council Member
To register for the event click here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IbQNrChSQ2Siv1nfVBX1Mw
Furniture poverty is the inability to afford or access the basic essential items -- such as beds and furniture -- that provide a household with a decent quality of life and the ability to participate in the norms of society. Studies have shown that poor sleep affects children's grades and academic performance and adversely affects behavior up to two years later. In addition, research has shown that not having a bed leads to poor nights of sleep, lower sleep quality, and even sleep deprivation.
"Although a bed may not be the first thing we think of when discussing poverty, far too many children in our community are growing up in households that cannot afford a bed for their children. Furniture poverty is a huge issue impacting far too many of our neighbors," said Malcolm Graham, executive director, Beds for Kids. "Families need more than just housing. It takes essential items like beds and furniture to transform a house into a home."
In addition to the May 6 event, a series of 10th anniversary events will follow including a volunteer appreciation celebration, a virtual slumber party and the organization's annual Dream Big Dinner.
"Beds for Kids has been delivering dreams for families in need for a decade, but the harsh reality is that many families in Charlotte are struggling," Graham said.