Charity Helps Sick Children Get a Good Night's Sleep: Dream Room Makeovers

As we tuck our children to sleep each night in their own bedroom, someone out there has a child in a hospital bed or shares a room with siblings battling a life threatening disease. There could be another child who is disabled and unable to sleep in the room they once knew.

Have those thoughts come to your mind?

The less fortunate children facing challenging illnesses or disabilities …

I started this charitable organization to make life a little easier for the family and to help make a dream come true for a child -- one room makeover at a time.

This is done through donations and volunteers for children who live in Essex County. Bedrooms are our children’s place of rest, dreams and personal space. It is also a place where they set their favorite things and lay their head at night to sleep.

Every child, regardless of their physical condition, has a room of their dream … a space to imagine and soar.

We want to help make this dream come true for children who are battling life challenging illnesses or disabilities. As they battle for their life and go through painful medical procedures, we want to lighten their life a little by creating a space of their imagination, hope and dream -- a place where they can find joy and comfort.

What can we do as realtors and citizens?

The real estate industry is not about selling and buying homes alone, we are in the business of helping and serving people. We meet people of all types of physical, financial and social conditions everyday. Realtors are actually in the people business, aware of the needs in home buyers, home sellers and our community. The community I am responsible for is Essex County.

We have seen reality shows where millionaires dressed up like volunteers, spend their time impacting lives of a community. They get publicity from the media while doing that. Ever heard of the “Secret Millionaire”?

Ordinary folks like us can make a difference in our own community by doing small acts of kindness and service. You don’t have to be a multi-millionaire to start a charitable organization.

How can your giving make a difference?

Have you seen donations and gifts like teddy bears, balloons and chocolates? Those are great gifts, but what if the child received 20 of those?

I have seen children with these gifts and had to give them away or sell them in garage sales for pennies.

Could the money be donated into one fund where the child receives an item that is most needed?

Looking ahead into the holiday season

The fall season always ushers in the holiday season which also is the time for the biggest holiday and gift shopping in the year. Other than planning for gift shopping, many are also looking for ways and where to direct their charitable giving.

Let’s not forget the needy in our neighborhood. The creator of Peter Pan, Matthew Barrie said, “be kinder than necessary. Everyone you meet is engaged in some kind of a struggle.”

Who do you know who is struggling today? Let’s make our community a better safer place to live.

If you know a family that could use this service please have them email Dream Room Makeovers at: dreamroommakeovers@gmail.com or http://www.facebook.com/dreamroommakeovers

Robert C. Stern is a local Realtor for Weichert, Realtors in Livingston.