Better Together, a nonprofit dedicated to families and children, recently distributed 50 beds to families in need in the Tampa region.
On March 26, Better Together staff and a team of volunteers gathered and visited several families from Town ‘n’ Country to Temple Terrace to distribute the beds provided by ICON Bunks, a Montana-based designer and manufacturer of custom bunk beds.
After Hurricanes Helene and Milton impacted this region, Better Together saw an increased need among families. Through the nonprofit’s hurricane relief efforts, the team met with parents, brought supplies and connected them to resources. The team also discovered that numerous families were in need of beds.
“We are truly grateful to ICON Bunks for providing such a necessity to families in this region,” said Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together. “Their support as we work to get these families back on their feet after the recent storms has been invaluable. To these families, this donation not only meets a need, but also serves as a symbol of hope and reminds them that their struggles have not been forgotten.”
Jason Clary, CEO of ICON Bunks, wanted to support by donating much-needed beds as they work to overcome their hardships. He is also currently working on bed donations for Hurricane Helene victims in North Carolina and those impacted by the wildfires in California.
“ICON Bunks is proud to be a part of the work that Better Together does throughout Florida. The natural disasters that affected Florida this past year were devastating, and we knew we needed to help,” said Clary. “ICON Bunks has a ‘Bed for a Bed’ program where we donate a bed to a family in need for every bunk bed we sell, and we are so grateful to Better Together for helping to get our donated beds to the families who need them the most. We believe that all kids should have a safe and cozy space to sleep and plan to keep donating as many beds as we can.”
Better Together – a volunteer-driven, privately funded nonprofit – prevents the need for foster care by building strong families and communities. When a parent needs support due to homelessness, a medical emergency, or other crisis, Better Together volunteer host families provide a safe, loving home for the children short term, while staff and mentors empower the parents to secure employment, housing and other needs. 76% of families served by Better Together can trace the root cause of their struggle to job loss. Better Together’s workforce program provides opportunities for all job seekers through relational job fairs and volunteer job coaches. Together, the programs build strong families and strong communities.
Established in Southwest Florida in 2015, the nonprofit’s programming has rapidly expanded to reach families in six regions of Florida, which span 48 counties. To date, Better Together has helped 10,000 children and kept 98% of children served through mentoring and hosting out of foster care, while its jobs ministry has helped 40,000 job seekers find employment through church-based job fairs across 24 states.
To learn more about Better Together and its mission, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.
About Better Together
Better Together is a nonprofit organization that helps parents going through a hard time keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive. A privately funded and professionally supported organization, Better Together is made up of volunteers who believe helping people help themselves is the best way to restore dignity and bring families together. Through the Better Families program, families are offered a preventive alternative to foster care while they get the help they need. To date, the program has kept 98% of children served out of foster care. The Better Jobs program was created to address the 76% of families that come to Better Together because of economic hardship tied to unemployment. In addition to community job fairs, the program offers job seekers coaching, guidance, support and encouragement through local church partners. For more information, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.
