Pajama Program provides new pajamas and new books to children in need. Thousands of children served by Pajama Program live in orphanages, group homes and shelters. In the U.S. foster care system, alone, there are more than 500,000 children. Every two seconds another child enters the system. Many have been abandoned or abused, and have never enjoyed the simple comfort of putting on a cozy pair of pajamas and having a mother or father tuck them in at bedtime and read to them. Teens in the system have often spent most of their childhood without warm sleepwear or the chance to read themselves to sleep.
“A BETTER BEDTIME clearly states the simple, tangible mission of Pajama Program,” said Genevieve Piturro, founder of Pajama Program. “We believe that every child deserves a warm pair of pajamas and a book to read at bedtime. So many of us take this nighttime ritual for granted, yet hundreds of thousands of America’s kids have never experienced this basic comfort. Every child should have the chance to experience A BETTER BEDTIME.”
Pajama Program’s A BETTER BEDTIME campaign aims to focus the nation on a crisis facing far too many of America’s children during “Danger Season” -- the block of six cold months between October 1 and March 31 in which it is especially dangerous for a child to be without warm clothing at bedtime. At the Official Pajama Program A Better Bedtime Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/abetterbedtime -- visitors are encouraged to share their favorite bedtime stories (from published or original works) on the group’s Wall and Discussion Boards in the Fan Box, to offer memories of their own childhood bedtime routines, to upload photos of their favorite pair of pajamas, and to share ideas, stories and photos from their own local events that support Pajama Program. To learn about local chapters of Pajama Program and to participate in events, visit http://www.pajamaprogram.org/chapters.html.
To make a much needed and greatly appreciated financial contribution to Pajama Program, visit http://www.pajamaprogram.org/donate.html or donate via Facebook at http://apps.facebook.com/causes/309815?m=3f1cca43.
To learn about donating new pajamas or new books, to conduct your own local Pajama Program Drive or event, or to become a beneficiary receiving organization of The Pajama Program, visit http://www.pajamaprogram.org/donate.html.
PBS Kids Sprout Supports Pajama Program
To complement Pajama Program’s A BETTER BEDTIME campaign, PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, On Demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, has launched its second annual “The Great Sprout Tuck-In”. “The Great Sprout Tuck-In” is a prosocial initiative that extends Sprout’s “good night” mission and encourages families to share in the spirit of giving. As Pajama Program’s national media partner, Sprout created and will air public service announcements that will introduce “The Great Sprout Tuck-In” and the mission of Pajama Program, communicate the spirit of giving in a child’s life and drive people to SproutOnline.com to donate. As it did last year, Sprout will match donations of new pajamas and new books for up to 100,000 children in need during “The Great Sprout Tuck-In,” which runs through September 30, 2010. Currently, Sprout is available in 47 million unique households. To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.8.SPROUT.411 or go to SproutPlease.com.
“We’ve provided 581,363 pairs of new pajamas and new books to children since we started in 2001,” said Pajama Program’s founder, Genevieve Piturro. “Yet our work has only just begun as the ranks of children in need continue to grow, especially due to the state of our economy. We urge you to help us make A BETTER BEDTIME a reality for more kids in need by donating your money and time as well as new pajamas and books to Pajama Program.” http://www.pajamaprogram.org/donate.html
About The Pajama Program:
Pajama Program, established in 2001, is a 501(c)3 national children’s charity run by its Founder and Executive Director, Genevieve Piturro. Pajama Program’s mission is to provide new, warm pajamas and new books to children in need nationwide. Pajama Program has 70 chapters across the United States with headquarters in New York City. Pajama Program also operates three Pajama Program Reading Centers in New York, NY; Yonkers, NY and Red Bank, NJ. For more information visit www.PajamaProgram.org. Follow The Pajama Program online at http://www.facebook.com/PajamaProgram and at http://www.twitter.com/pajamaprogram.
SOURCE Pajama Program
