SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - For nearly 30 years, Slumberland has been donating mattresses to local families in need.
Manager of the Springfield location, Chris Gibbs, said since 1991, the company had donated more than 30,000 beds. About 350 of those have gone to children in Springfield.
"It's a terrible feeling to know, growing up I always had a mattress, something I always took for granted," Gibbs said. "I never thought there'd be people out there that didn't have that."
This year, the store will be donating 31 mattresses, box springs and bed frames to children in need.
"They're children between two and 16. They have to already be sleeping on the floor," Gibbs said. "They're all twin size, all Sealy, because they're the best price to make sure we can get the most for the most kids."
The store will be giving out the mattresses to pre-selected families on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m.
"You've gotta have a place to sleep. It's 1/3 of your life, and it depicts how well you work on the other two-thirds or your life," Gibbs said. "You have to have a place to sleep to be able to function at your best."
The store donates more than 10 percent of its profits to organizations that assist families and youth in the community.
