Though their hearts were in the right place, Sleep Train's early philanthropic efforts were unfocused and lacked strategy. The mattress retailer was responding to virtually any request for donations, and consumers were unaware of the chain’s generosity and charitable efforts. So in 2002, Jones Advertising developed Sleep Train Foster Kids (then known as Sleep Country Foster Kids). Jones created eight annual “giving events,” including the famous Foster Kids Pajama Bowl, to engage businesses and consumers and help give foster kids the essentials they need to succeed.
The stores became collection points for donations, while the mattress warehouse and delivery trucks collected, organized and distributed donations to partner organizations. The charity helped Sleep Train maximize their charitable efforts while simultaneously driving store traffic and engendering positive feelings within the community. As a business-side bonus, people that made a donation at a store were more likely to return there to make a mattress purchase.
The program has grown significantly every year since we started and has since received numerous awards, including DSHS Partner of the Year in Washington State and the national 1000 Points of Lights Award. In 2016, we helped collect over 60,000 pairs of new shoes, over 60,000 clothing items, over 100,000 school supply items and over $1.7 million in cash for
Foster Kids across the west.
The success of Sleep Train Foster Kids is perhaps our proudest achievement as an advertising agency: simultaneously helping Sleep Train become the West's leading mattress brand while helping foster kids in a significant way. And this is just the beginning. Sleep Train's parent company, Mattress Firm has also adopted the program and is taking it to a national level.