This year our organization will be launching a multi-year effort to systematically replace all of our youth beds and specialty medical cribs.The beds and cribs (20 beds and six cribs) purchased over seven to ten years ago are starting to show their wear and tear.
With our census of long and short term residents, most beds and cribs have been in constant use. As we conducted our annual safety inspections, we determined that a number of the older beds have shown compromised structural integrity.
Beds, cribs and stretchers are a two-fold challenge for our organization. First, though they are essential pieces of equipment for each child and used daily, they are not directly funded thrugh traditional income sources. Second, due to the children’s complex medical needs, the beds and cribs are designed especially for the needs of pediatic patients and aid their caregivers. The cost of each bed and crib is much higher than everyday beds. A Hard youth bed is $4,922 and each crib is $4,042 plus shipping. The big challenge therefore is finding the funding for the nearly $125,000 needed.
We are excited that with the launch of the effort this summer, C & S Wholesale Grocers jumped right in and contributed $9,000 to help fund our first replacement bed and crib then a few weeks later doubled their support to $18,000! What a great start! Thank you C & S Wholesale Grocers.
Later in September we submitted a request and were awarded $9,000 from the Helen Kelly Trust of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation for the purchase of one bed and one crib.
After hearing of the project from a colleague attending a Elm City Rotary Club meeting, Mark Bodin, President of Savings Bank of Walpole contacted us and he and Danielle Ruffo toured Cedarcrest. He then met with the banks Board of Directors and they stepped forward to support the project with a donation of $20,000!
Funding for this year’s purchases of seven beds and three cribs gets us well on our way towards reaching our needed replacements.
We will submit more requests for grants and are hopeful to receive contributions over the next few years to fund all 20 beds and six cribs.
To learn more about the Hard Stockton Youth Beds and Cribs or how you can help, please contact Patty Farmer at (603) 358-3384.
post updated 2/1/19
