Impact Topeka Project gives away free beds to students

WAKARUSA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Impact Topeka Foundation is making sure students get a good night’s sleep by giving them a bed to sleep in Thursday at Pauline South Intermediate School.

The foundation gave out beds and bed frames along with a full set of linens, a pillow, pajamas, and more.

“This helps our community out tremendously because unfortunately there are some families that might have students that are sharing beds or sleeping on the couch because of different arrangements. The Rest for Success Program helps make sure that every child has a nice comfortable bed to sleep in that helps them physically and emotionally, in all those aspects,” says Chris Holman, Principal at Pauline South Intermediate School.

The group works to support youth in the community with a focus on kids serving kids.

“We’re just here to help you. I’ll try to encourage them and tell them we all have a hard point in life,” says volunteers Harper and Blair.

The group recently spoke with 720 students at Pauline Central and Pauline South to learn about their sleeping arrangements.

“We went and surveyed all the kids in both of the schools. We went class by class, talked to each student, identified the kiddos who were sharing beds or maybe were sleeping on sofas and maybe not getting the best sleep and getting prepared for school, kinda making our list then based off of that put our list together on who needed beds and that’s how we identified who those were,” says Co-Founder of Impact Topeka Project, Kris Klima.

Now they are making a good night’s rest accessible to all students.

“Sleep is so important. It’s important both for cognitive development for kids who are growing particularly in the age of elementary school students but also just to be able to get that good night’s sleep to be prepared and to be able to go to school and give them the attention that they need to learn and to give teachers their best during the day,” says Klima.

Hog Wild also came out to provide about 425 hot meals for families.

“They are thrilled and they are overwhelmed because a lot of times it is hard-working families and they just need a little help to get by,” says Holman.

To learn more about the Rest for Success program click here.

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