Seeing a local business or civic group step up to fill a need in the community is not uncommon, but sometimes the response is so remarkable that it bears extra notoriety.
Such is the case with Mattress Discounters, which donated 15 new mattresses to Focus House and sold another 10 at cost.
The donation was urgently needed as the shelter fights a bed bug infestation. Many residents of the homeless shelter have been bitten continuously by the tiny insects, and to avoid them had taken to sleeping outdoors even as the nights turned cool.
The solution to the infestation won't come easy. Even chemical treatments aren't 100 percent effective and once mattresses are infested they usually must be thrown out. That's why the donation, which came right after an Appeal article on the problem, was so important - nobody, homeless or not, should be asked to sleep in those conditions.
The donation was notable because of the people it will help. These aren't orphaned children or victims of domestic violence. These are homeless men who oftentimes don't generate a lot of sympathy. The shelter's goal is to help them become productive members of society.
Sometimes all they need is a hand up, like the example offered by Mattress Discounters and people who gave cash donations.
If you're interested in helping the shelter, or its parent organization, FISH, visit the Web site www.fishcarson.org or call 883-3474.
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