Founder, Jill Schwarzkopf, discusses the origins of Sleep Tight Kids and how it has grown over the past decade.

I had the honor of sitting down with Jill Schwarzkopf, a woman dedicated to helping the children of Western North Carolina, to discuss the humble beginnings of Sleep Tight Kids and how what started as a literal dream grew into what it is today: an organization that helps thousands of children in need in our community.

THE BEGINNING:

It truly started with a dream. Jill was working as a Kindergarten teacher at Mills River Elementary School in Henderson County, NC in 2008. A lot of children in her classroom complained to her that they were cold at night. She collected blankets for them and funds to restore heat in homes for those kids in her classroom. One night, she had a vivid dream where she was running a non-profit to help needy children and when she woke up, she decided to take immediate action and make that a reality. That first year, Sleep Tight Kids gave away around 75 comfort items and blankets to children.

SLEEP TIGHT KIDS TODAY:

Sleep Tight Kids has continued to grow since its origins in 2008 and in 2018, ten years later, over 10,000 comfort bags were given to children in need! They have also expanded from serving only Henderson County to now serving the entirety of Western North Carolina. Serving an area this large does require a lot of help from members of the community, businesses and volunteers. “We are an 100% volunteer-based network and all the money that gets donated goes directly to helping the children,” Jill explains. Sleep Tight Kids works with other local charities and government organizations to better serve the children of their community including DSS from Madison, Yancy, Henderson, Transylvania, Jackson, Buncombe, McDowell, Haywood, Rutherford, and Iredell Counties, Eblen Charity, Eliada Homes, Helpmate, Western NC Rescue Missions, ABCCM, Steadfast House, Caring from Children, Boys and Girls Club, Safelight of Hendersonville and more.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

• Volunteer to help with one of our bag stuffing events (including our kids helping kids events)
• Join our Circle of Hope and get notifications about meetings and events, next meeting is Tuesday, May 14 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Asheville Racquet Club SOUTH location
• Help with our largest fundraising event, Denim and Diamonds (scheduled for Saturday Nov. 16, 2019)
• Donate Here
• Have your business become a Sleep Tight Kids Ambassador
• Become a sponsor for an upcoming Sleep Tight Kids event
• Have a Sleep Tight Kids representative speak to your company/organization about our mission
• Host a Sleep Tight Kids cash donation box for a month or more (great for employee lounges, check-out areas, meeting places)
• Donate a % of business proceeds on a designated date/time frame.
• View upcoming events here

When the Sleep Tight Kids team arrived at Mountain Child Advocacy Center at Mission Children’s Hospital in Asheville on Wednesday, a seven-week-old infant who had been severely beaten was upstairs. She had two broken legs, five broken ribs, and internal swelling from a brutal assault—as well as injuries from earlier attacks that began at only four weeks old. Her own father was charged with the abuse.

Our contact at MCAC told us that they are seeing more and more cases like this one. On the day of our delivery there were only supposed to be four children getting forensic medical exams—but over the night four more phone calls had come in, and there were eight children sitting there now. The kids who pass through MCAC sign their initials on the leaves of a tree painted along one wall. Some leave short messages like, “Don’t be afraid.” The tree becomes part of their therapy and healing process.

More than five million children are reported as abused or neglected every year in the U.S., including more than 4,000 in Buncombe County alone. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and yet it’s hard sometimes, in the face of such abject cruelty, to even know where to begin.

Our Circle of Hope core volunteer group is at the heart of what Sleep Tight Kids does, and it can give us a place to start. The time commitment is flexible and the contributions can be small, but by growing our numbers we can reach and nurture more of these children who are so in need. Please consider becoming part of this group by reaching out via Facebook or the website.

We hold quarterly Circle of Hope meetings, and anyone can join (we usually announce them on Facebook). These volunteers might help make a delivery, pick up toy donations from O.P. Taylor’s, shop for clothes at the Carter’s outlet, move our Dip Jars to new locations, or help with our events—whatever time and energy they give makes an impact.

And the numbers add up: On Wednesday we delivered 20 blankets, 239 stuffed animals, 10 pajama sets, 310 dental kits, and 50 books to MCAC, as well as 15 pajama sets, 8 blankets, 6 washcloths, 250 dental kits, 96 stuffed animals, 200 books, 155 toothpastes to Safelight in Hendersonville. That’s a grand total of 1,359 items of comfort.

Teens and kids are some of our best Circle of Hope volunteers. The time they spend with Sleep Tight Kids can be counted toward service projects for school, church, or Scouts.

Our events committee comes out of Circle of Hope as well, planning fêtes like our upcoming August 13 fundraiser at Highland Brewing Company (we’ll reveal more details about this soon, but it will be a family-friendly event with a carnival atmosphere).

Playing a role in the community—no matter how small—can help to break cycles of abuse and give children the hope they need to flourish. Come join us.

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Sleep Tight Kids wouldn’t be able to provide the services we do without the support of our board, who dedicate their time and resources to making the lives of displaced children feel warmer and safer. This month we’re getting to know these dedicated individuals on the blog.

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KRISTINE FREEMAN (vice president)

What led you to Sleep Tight Kids?
My parents instilled in me a strong work ethic. My father was a school principal and my mom was a nurse. My husband and I have tried to teach our girls and lead by example through hard work and volunteering. Our daughter Katie attended a small university that required service hours. She was a few hours short, and we contacted Jill. When my girls were young they collected trial size toiletries and made up bags for Western Carolina Rescue Mission, so when Jill explained how STK helped in a similar way, but with a focus on children, we knew it was something we could help with.

Describe your most uplifting moment working with Sleep Tight Kids.
I will never forget when we brought toys and pajamas to a battered women’s shelter last year. One young mother began tearing up and hugging us when she learned that each child could pick out their own brand-new stuffed animal…and that the donations were coming from complete strangers. You could see in her eyes that she could not comprehend the love we showed to her and her child without asking for anything in return.

What was your favorite toy as a child?
I had a stuffed Gingerbread man, and I never went to bed without that doll and a kiss and snuggle from my mom. She also read to me every night before bed. My father grew up very poor, and he worked hard to break the cycle of poverty.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working with Sleep Tight Kids?
My family and I really enjoy traveling and meeting people from all around the world—South Africa, Peru, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas in the past two years. I also enjoy cycling, gardening, caring for my aging father, and photography.

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AVERY JONES (treasurer)

What led you to Sleep Tight Kids?
Jill is a long-time friend of mine, so when she asked me to help, I simply said yes. I have a background in fundraising and bookkeeping so it was a natural fit to serve as the treasurer.

Can you describe your most uplifting moment working with Sleep Tight Kids?
Knowing we are helping young children!

What was your favorite toy as a child?
Huge stuffed teddy bear.

What (or who or where) gave you the most comfort when you were young?
My family.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working with Sleep Tight Kids?
Spending time with my family, volunteering at my boys’ school, reading, cooking, cycling/hiking. I enjoy the outdoors!

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WENDY KNOWLES (secretary)

What led you to Sleep Tight Kids?
I was introduced to Jill by a mutual friend. She felt my background in marketing would be helpful.

Describe your most uplifting moment working with Sleep Tight Kids.
We had a young woman speak at last year’s fundraising event. Natasha painted a clear picture of why our organization is so desperately needed. STK’s efforts gave Natasha hope and a sense of people caring for her. This, in turn, gave her the strength to tackle the many challenges she faced. Her story made it very clear why we must do more for individuals and families in similar circumstances.  ​

What was your favorite toy as a child?
I had a stuffed animal by the name of “Alfie.” I’ll never forget going off to summer camp one year and forgetting Alfie. I was so upset. My older brother packed up my stuffed toy and shipped it to me. I’ll never forget this gesture, and how comforting it was to have Alfie with me.  ​

What (or who or where) gave you the most comfort when you were young?
My mother. I lost her when I was 19, and I greatly sympathize with families who are separated and children who need additional comfort to get through difficult times.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working with Sleep Tight Kids?
I have a wedding planning business that keeps me very busy. I enjoy hiking, trying new restaurants in Asheville, frequenting coffee shops, and visiting my daughter in California as often as possible.  ​

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AMANDA BOWEN

What led you to Sleep Tight Kids?
A few years ago I posted a recommendation on Facebook that I was looking for a local nonprofit to donate to and a friend shared Sleep Tight Kids with me. I instantly fell in love.

Do you have a specific connection to the work?
My son Dylan had a strong connection to his blanket at an extremely early age (two months old). The way he loved and snuggled with his blanket was undeniable and I thought, “Wow! What if I could help provide that kind of comfort to another child?”

Describe your most uplifting moment working with Sleep Tight Kids.
I’m not sure if I have just one specific moment! I love what we accomplish each day, each month, each delivery to these children. It’s uplifting and inspiring, to say the least. If our efforts can help these kids have sweet dreams when they lay their heads down in times of uncertainty, confusion and fear, then we have fulfilled our mission.

What was your favorite toy as a child?
It was a stuffed doll that had my name on her shirt and kind of looked like me. I took it everywhere. One time, I left it in a restroom while my family and I were traveling on a long trip! I was devastated and began crying. My mother turned around to go all the way back to get it. We found her and all was right with the world.

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KIM BOOSE

What led you to Sleep Tight Kids?
Jill was client of mine for personal training, and she was also my daughter’s wedding photographer. She shared with me what Sleep Tight Kids does and her dream and her vision and how much work she put into it for unselfish reasons. I wanted to be a part of that, somehow, in some way.

Describe your most uplifting moment working with Sleep Tight Kids.
I will never forget when Circles of Hope reached out. They had a bunch of kids coming in, but had no supplies. Jill asked for toothbrushes, wipes, just basic necessities. My kids have so much. We take that for granted when so many had nothing. That’s when the reality really hit me. I thought, “I have to just go physically do this myself.” It’s scary that there are children in our own community that are in this situation.

What was your favorite toy as a child?
I collected stuffed hippopotamuses. I loved this one big purple fat snuggly hippopotamus. The hippopotamuses were a symbol that made me feel special, made me feel comforted.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working with Sleep Tight Kids?
I have my children who are grown, and three grandchildren. I run the group fitness at Asheville Racquet Club. I work out a lot. I’m very into the physical side of bringing people happiness and making people smile.

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MISSY CULVER

What led you to Sleep Tight Kids?
Jill told me about her dream for STK. I was so inspired by the idea and her passion for it. I had two very young children and it struck me as something I wanted to be a part of. The thought of any child going through such traumatic experiences broke my heart.

Describe your most uplifting moment working with Sleep Tight Kids.
Last fall we held a fundraiser at Bold Rock Cider. Jill asked if I could pick up a guest of honor at Western Carolina Rescue Mission. This mother of two had an incredible story, and I was lucky enough to have that time in the car with her and my children. It was eye opening to the reality of the needs out there, and the impact that STK is having, not just on the children, but on the parents as well. The impact hearing that story firsthand for my children was remarkable.

What was your favorite toy as a child?
This will sound ridiculous, but keep in mind I had two older brothers: Stretch Armstrong was SO cool! I did have a favorite teddy bear that I wore down to rags, but the real comfort came from my amazing mom.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working with Sleep Tight Kids?
I work in accounting, helping small local businesses with bookkeeping, payroll, and taxes. But for fun I’m either playing with my two girls, playing or listening to music, or hiking or paddle boarding.

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LEANNE JOHNSON

What led you to Sleep Tight Kids?
When I first met Jill, she was a teacher at Mills River Elementary, the school my children attended. Being involved at school, I have seen how children can be left in a tough spot and displaced with nothing but the clothes on their back. When Jill started Sleep Tight Kids, I wanted to help.

Can you describe your most uplifting moment working with Sleep Tight Kids?
While visiting a rescue facility, we met a baby boy whose mother was pregnant while she was incarcerated and had to finish her sentence after giving birth. He was addicted to drugs when he was born and had a very tough time detoxing. This was a firsthand experience how children can end up in a situation, mother or no mother, where they have nothing. Seeing the elated expression on the employee’s face when Jill presented pajamas, blankets, and stuffed animals to help with that little fellow, as well as the other children in the facility, was so touching.

What was your favorite toy as a child?
My favorite toys were my stuffed animals “Little Bear” and “Monkey.” The bear sucked his thumb. The monkey was nothing fancy, but I loved him. Remembering how those simple stuffed animals gave me comfort and happiness makes me smile right now. Simple things can mean so much to a child.

What (or who or where) gave you the most comfort when you were young?
My mom was always there, raising me to be a strong, Christian girl and always supporting me in anything I did. Her words of wisdom, strength in her character, and loving arms have always been my comfort.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working with Sleep Tight Kids?
I am a wife, first and foremost. Then I am a mother to my two children, Isaac (12) and Ellory (10). It’s hard to keep it in this order, but I believe God wants it that way. I try to spend time focusing on my marriage as best as possible and being supportive to my husband, as well as keeping our house intact. My family is my life. However, I do own and operate Paper Solutions Inc., which distributes paper rolls, ink ribbons, and more.

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SCOTT SCHWARZKOPF

What led you to Sleep Tight Kids?
Supporting my wife, Jill, was the big reason. I belong to the Kiwanis Club of Asheville, and one of our missions is bettering lives of children here. Obviously that works perfectly with Sleep Tight Kids.

Describe your most uplifting moment working with Sleep Tight Kids.
For a lot of events, I don’t go; they don’t want men at the battered woman’s shelter. But seeing the images captured has been amazing. There’s one picture of a kid with a single tear coming down his cheek. I did go a pajama party we had at Steadfast House. I remember a little girl who was so shy. She came out of her shell when we all showed up in pajamas, brought cake, and had nice little party.

What was your favorite toy as a child?
The Atari 2600. It still holds a soft spot in my heart.

What (or who or where) gave you the most comfort when you were young?
It was going to grandma’s house for the Christmas holidays. Whether it was the holidays or her house, it always smelled like chocolate pudding.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working with Sleep Tight Kids?
My job is fundraising for universities. Otherwise, my kids’ activities, dance lessons, swimming lessons, horseback lessons, guitar lessons. I love spending time with them and doing things they like.

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CARRIE TURNER

What are some specific connections you have to the work of Sleep Tight Kids?
I have two young children who have both been very attached to bedtime comfort items. My daughter (Dora, nine) had a hand-knit baby blanket that she literally loved to extinction. My son (Oscar, five) sleeps every night with his teddy bear, “Foxy.” I can only imagine how devastating it would be for them if these items were lost in an emergency situation. To help a child in a scary and difficult time with something so basic and fulfilling as a teddy bear or warm PJs is such a great thing.

Describe your most uplifting moment working with Sleep Tight Kids.
It’s been inspiring to me to see children (my own and others) get involved in the cause. I think if we can inspire empathy in our children, they might become the generation that has the power to change the world for the better.

What was your favorite toy as a child?
I always enjoyed toys that had a creative element to them—Etch-a-Sketch, Spirograph, Tinker Toys. We had a set of wooden blocks with holes/tracks that you could connect and send marbles through. I still play with that at my dad’s house! And I had a  Little People hospital, which I really loved.

What (or who or where) gave you the most comfort when you were young?
I have always been an animal lover, so there were always pets to be friends, companions, protectors, and comforters. I grew up in a rural area so I spent a lot of time exploring in the woods with our dogs and cats.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working with Sleep Tight Kids?
My husband Brian and I live in West Asheville with our kids and several pets. We work together as self-employed artists: Brian is a musician and I’m a freelance photographer. I love cooking, biking, yoga, and hiking with the dogs, and I’m a big Star Wars nerd/fan, so you can always find a Star Wars novel on my bedside table.

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“None of us ever want to imagine our kids, or any child, without the basic comforts in life—so the work Sleep Tight Kids does is a no-brainer,” says Ashley Gragtmans, CFP® Financial Advisor at Parsec Financial, which earlier this year awarded Sleep Tight Kids with $10,000 through its Parsec Prize.

The prize was introduced in 1995, and is given annually to nonprofit community organizations that fall under a broad rubric of education and economic development within Western North Carolina the Charlotte metro area. Roughly one percent of Parsec’s gross revenue each year is dedicated to prize recipients—which have totaled 61 organizations since its inception. In 2016, a total of $100,000 was awarded to 10 organizations. Recipients are chosen based on their ability to improve the quality of life and access to meaningful opportunities for those they serve.

As Western North Carolina continues to struggle with child poverty, Sleep Tight Kids is pushing to expand and reach as many children as possible with tangible items of nighttime comfort in times of greatest need—blankets, pajamas, stuffed animals, and more. Of the counties currently served by Sleep Tight Kids (Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Madison, McDowell, Transylvania, and Yancey), the majority saw a rate of around 30 percent of kids living below the poverty line in 2013. By comparison, the U.S. average for children under the age of 18 living in poverty is 21 percent; in North Carolina, the average is 25 percent. A restful night’s sleep is often in short supply for those children and their families.

“Committee members had never heard of Sleep Tight Kids,” says Gragtmans, “but we all immediately saw the need for such an organization in our community. We are excited to see what they are able to do and provide to our community as they grow—and we are glad we could help them take another step in that direction.”

Parsec, a wealth management firm with offices in Asheville, Charlotte, Southern Pines, and Tryon, has built its company culture around the idea giving back the community. “We try to foster a culture of giving by not only donating to the organizations that Parsec believes in, but by giving to the organizations that the employees believe in as well,” says Gragtmans. “We do this by offering a two-for-one matching program”—i.e., for every dollar an employee donates to a nonprofit of his or her choice, Parsec will donate two, effectively tripling the size of the donation. (The Parsec Prize represents half of the company’s total annual charitable giving, with the rest coming through employee matches, community sponsorships, and other donations.) “We believe this is one of the things that sets us apart as an employer and firm, and we think our employees feel that way as well,” concludes Gragtmans.

INTRODUCING THE DIPJAR

While the $10,000 Parsec Prize is the largest donation yet to Sleep Tight Kids, small gifts can be just as important—and Sleep Tight Kids is using a new method that makes giving as little $3 as simple as possible. DipJars are an electronic solution for cashless giving—replacing a typical donation box or tip jar. Be on the lookout for the bright blue Sleep Tight Kids–branded DipJars at businesses around town (and at the Asheville Downtown Association mixer at Spicer-Greene Jewelers on Dec. 1, where Sleep Tight Kids will be the featured nonprofit). With just a quick credit card swipe, the DipJar enables small on-the-go donations, and provides messaging about what that gift buys (for instance, 20 blankets for $10).

Locations for December include:

The Little Gym, 1000 Brevard Rd., Suite 168
M-Th 9am-6pm, F 9am-4pm, Sa 9am-6pm, Su 2pm-6pm
Asheville Racquet Club Downtown, One Resort Drive
M-F 5am-9pm, Sa 7am-9pm, Su 7am-8pm
Asheville Racquet Club South, 200 Racquet Club Rd.
M-Th 5am-9:30pm, F 5am-8pm, Sa 7am-8pm, Su 8am-8pm

Want to host a Sleep Tight Kids DipJar in your own business, or know of a business that may be interested? Inquire now about having one installed.

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A late-night knock at the door—someone telling you to quickly gather what you need—leaving your house in the dark….

Children often enter the foster care system with nothing but the clothes they are wearing—or in the case of babies or toddlers, just a diaper. At best, they might have had a few minutes to toss what they can of their possessions into a box or a garbage bag, before leaving their home for an unfamiliar place—spending the night in a cold social services office, trying to find space in a chaotic group house, or entering a foster home inhabited by strangers. Any item that can become their own possession—a blanket, a pillow—and travel with them can provide comfort and security.

Sleep Tight Kids works with the Department of Social Services in eight surrounding counties—Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Madison, McDowell, Transylvania and Yancey—to reach these children, delivering bedding, stuffed animals, pajamas, nightlights and more. Partnering with DSS allows Sleep Tight Kids to assist the largest number of kids in need at that moment, and with your help and donations Sleep Tight Kids can expand our reach into even more counties.

Currently, Buncombe County has about 285 kids in the foster care system at any given time. That translates to around 55 kids per 10,000, compared to an overall North Carolina average of 40 per 10,000. And while other nearby counties have smaller populations, and therefore a lower number of kids in the foster system, many have a higher ratio. The ratio of children in foster care in Madison, Haywood, and Yancey is more than double the state average in each county. The total number of kids in foster care for the eight counties hovers around 730.

In October 2015:

• Buncombe: 286 kids in foster care at one time / 55.2 per 10,000 / 432 total kids came through the foster system past year
• Haywood: 101 kids in foster care at one time / 86.7 per 10,000 / 149 total kids came through the foster system past year
• Henderson: 142 kids in foster care at one time / 61.3 per 10,000 / 206 total kids came through the foster system past year
• Jackson: 49 kids in foster care at one time / 55.8 per 10,000 /65 total kids came through the foster system past year
• Madison: 41 kids in foster care at one time / 97.9 per 10,000 / 73 total kids came through the foster system past year
• McDowell: 38 kids in foster care at one time / 39.3 per 10,000 / 60 total kids came through the foster system past year
• Transylvania: 42 kids in foster care at one time / 62.9 per 10,000 / 55 total kids came through the foster system past year
• Yancey: 30 kids in foster care at one time / 86.6 per 10,000 / 45 total kids came through the foster system past year

 

Statistics are culled from Fostering Court Improvement, a collaborative database by the School of Social Work at UNC, Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic at Emory University and the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law. Numbers are extrapolated in cases where county child population is less than 10,000.

Statewide, the number of children needing foster care has gone up in each of the past four years, rising by nearly 20 percent. Meanwhile, the number of homes licensed for foster care has dropped, making placement even more difficult and the instability and trauma felt by the kids all the more acute. In Buncombe County there are roughly 85 licensed homes for nearly 300 children. In the face of the shortage, children might be sent to foster families farther away from their birth families, making reunification harder, and further isolating the kids.

A security blanket is needed all the more.

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