Kendra Stitt Robins 
Name of Business: Project Night Night
Type of Business: Nonprofit
Web Site: http://www.projectnightnight.org/
Email: Kendra@projectnightnight.org
Tell us more about your business.
Project Night Night is dedicated to improving the lives of homeless children, one sweet dream at a time. To that end, we donate individual tote bags, each filled with an age-appropriate book, a security blanket, and a stuffed animal in an effort to help homeless children sleep better while in the shelter system. By providing educational objects and objects of reliable comfort, Project Night Night seeks to advance the cognitive and emotional health of each child we help.
To ease the anxiety associated with shelter living, Project Night Night includes in each Night Night Package both a security blanket which can be cuddled as well as a stuffed animal which can become a cherished friend. Finding comfort is vitally important for children in order to feel secure, loved, and valued -- even in the midst of the upheaval and uncertainty attendant to homelessness.
Project Night Night serves approximately 20,000 homeless children annually and our services are available, free of charge, to any homeless or displaced child. Project Night Night donates Night Night Packages to our 300+ partner shelters across the country on a constant and consistent basis – approximately every 2 months when the shelter has turnover of its littlest residents. It is our goal to place a Night Night Package into the hands of each homeless child who needs one.
Why did you decide to start this type of business?
I created Project Night Night after experiences traveling with my (then) two-year-old son Cole led me to realize that putting him to bed was one of the most critical parts of his day. Without a full night’s sleep, Cole would be irritable and unresponsive the next day. I became concerned for the many homeless and transient children who lacked the most basic bedtime comforts. These children, just like my own son, deserved to have a security blanket to snuggle and a stuffed animal to squeeze as they drifted off to sleep.
In addition, I sought a creative way to repurpose the abundance of baby items that kept piling up! Rather than resorting to landfill or to donating them to an organization that would charge money for them, I wanted a way to redistribute the items to those in need. Project Night Night accepts like-new and new children’s books and stuffed animals as well as new only baby blankets. We select one of each item, place it into a tote bag with a tag, and distribute it to homeless children in the shelter system.
What makes your business unique?
Project Night Night has grown from our home base of Northern California to be a sizable presence across the United States. Through our Adopt a Night Night Package program, we rely exclusively on volunteers to establish shelter relationships in areas outside of Northern California. At any one time, over 100 Adopt a Night Night Package programs are taking place across the United States.
Our Adopt a Night Night Package program provides the unique opportunity for volunteers of any age to aid Project Night Night. The volunteer “adopts” a certain number of tote bags. He or she commits to filling those totes -- each with a new security blanket, and a like-new book and stuffed animal. That volunteer locates a shelter in his or her area (or chooses one with which Project Night Night has a pre-existing relationship) and delivers the assembled totes. The volunteer has the opportunity to speak with the shelter, to arrange the drop-off, and perhaps visit the shelter’s residents if so permitted.
Project Night Night does not require training in order to participate in our Adopt a Night Night Package program. Instead, we have determined that in order to ensure quality in our Night Night Packages , the following standards must be met: (1) Project Night Night totes are used at all times, (2) only new security blankets are allowed, (3) the “like-new” book and stuffed animal can have no visible signs of wear and must appear new to the recipient, (4) the shelter must be notified in advance of the drop-off, and (5) the shelter location and contact name must be communicated to Project Night Night. Project Night Night follows-up on all deliveries.
Part of Project Night Night’s appeal for volunteers is that we appreciate any amount of time given and any number of Night Night Packages prepared. We find it unrealistic and burdensome to require a minimum time commitment on the part of volunteers. Instead, we gratefully accept the amount of time that each volunteer is willing to give. As a result, most volunteers participate in more than one Adopt a Night Night Package program and refer us to friends and family.
Can you share with us the challenges that you have encountered related to starting a business?
Oh, there were so many! In the early days, I assembled all of the Night Night Packages myself. I couldn’t keep up with the orders! My husband brilliantly said “if you want help, you need to ask for it.” I certainly did. So my business partner Jessica Bryan and I adjusted the format. We created the Adopt a Night Night Package program where we requested that folks purchase the totes from us (at $3 apiece to cover our costs), fill them, and deliver them. This widespread assistance permitted Project Night Night to grow exponentially in just three years.
Our other ongoing challenge is raising money. Although we run with very little overhead (approximately 98% of all donations go directly to aid the children we serve), we still need donations to cover the ongoing expenses of shipping, blanket purchases as necessary, storage facilities. Any advice or contacts from your readers would be appreciated!
What has been your biggest success thus far?
We have grown an astounding 700% on average each year. We attribute this to both (1) an extremely active volunteer network which provides word-of-mouth marketing, and (2) hitting a “emotional nerve.” Our Adopt a Night Night Program is simple and easy to understand. The Night Night Packages created go directly into the arms of homeless children, so it is a heartwarming project in which to participate.
What is your favorite free business resource?
Vistaprint.com! Once you sign up for coupons, you can take advantage of offers for free business cards, letterhead, etc. We use them to print virtually everything.
What words of advice would you provide to others who are considering starting a business?
Ask for help! I wanted to do it all on my own. I should have tapped friends and acquaintances for their suggestions and resources from the beginning.
Do you have any special offers for those reading this interview?
We would love your readers to volunteer to participate in our Adopt a Night Night Package program.
Type of Business: Nonprofit
Web Site: http://www.projectnightnight.org/
Email: Kendra@projectnightnight.org
Tell us more about your business.
Project Night Night is dedicated to improving the lives of homeless children, one sweet dream at a time. To that end, we donate individual tote bags, each filled with an age-appropriate book, a security blanket, and a stuffed animal in an effort to help homeless children sleep better while in the shelter system. By providing educational objects and objects of reliable comfort, Project Night Night seeks to advance the cognitive and emotional health of each child we help.
To ease the anxiety associated with shelter living, Project Night Night includes in each Night Night Package both a security blanket which can be cuddled as well as a stuffed animal which can become a cherished friend. Finding comfort is vitally important for children in order to feel secure, loved, and valued -- even in the midst of the upheaval and uncertainty attendant to homelessness.
Project Night Night serves approximately 20,000 homeless children annually and our services are available, free of charge, to any homeless or displaced child. Project Night Night donates Night Night Packages to our 300+ partner shelters across the country on a constant and consistent basis – approximately every 2 months when the shelter has turnover of its littlest residents. It is our goal to place a Night Night Package into the hands of each homeless child who needs one.
Why did you decide to start this type of business?
I created Project Night Night after experiences traveling with my (then) two-year-old son Cole led me to realize that putting him to bed was one of the most critical parts of his day. Without a full night’s sleep, Cole would be irritable and unresponsive the next day. I became concerned for the many homeless and transient children who lacked the most basic bedtime comforts. These children, just like my own son, deserved to have a security blanket to snuggle and a stuffed animal to squeeze as they drifted off to sleep.
In addition, I sought a creative way to repurpose the abundance of baby items that kept piling up! Rather than resorting to landfill or to donating them to an organization that would charge money for them, I wanted a way to redistribute the items to those in need. Project Night Night accepts like-new and new children’s books and stuffed animals as well as new only baby blankets. We select one of each item, place it into a tote bag with a tag, and distribute it to homeless children in the shelter system.
What makes your business unique?
Project Night Night has grown from our home base of Northern California to be a sizable presence across the United States. Through our Adopt a Night Night Package program, we rely exclusively on volunteers to establish shelter relationships in areas outside of Northern California. At any one time, over 100 Adopt a Night Night Package programs are taking place across the United States.
Our Adopt a Night Night Package program provides the unique opportunity for volunteers of any age to aid Project Night Night. The volunteer “adopts” a certain number of tote bags. He or she commits to filling those totes -- each with a new security blanket, and a like-new book and stuffed animal. That volunteer locates a shelter in his or her area (or chooses one with which Project Night Night has a pre-existing relationship) and delivers the assembled totes. The volunteer has the opportunity to speak with the shelter, to arrange the drop-off, and perhaps visit the shelter’s residents if so permitted.
Project Night Night does not require training in order to participate in our Adopt a Night Night Package program. Instead, we have determined that in order to ensure quality in our Night Night Packages , the following standards must be met: (1) Project Night Night totes are used at all times, (2) only new security blankets are allowed, (3) the “like-new” book and stuffed animal can have no visible signs of wear and must appear new to the recipient, (4) the shelter must be notified in advance of the drop-off, and (5) the shelter location and contact name must be communicated to Project Night Night. Project Night Night follows-up on all deliveries.
Part of Project Night Night’s appeal for volunteers is that we appreciate any amount of time given and any number of Night Night Packages prepared. We find it unrealistic and burdensome to require a minimum time commitment on the part of volunteers. Instead, we gratefully accept the amount of time that each volunteer is willing to give. As a result, most volunteers participate in more than one Adopt a Night Night Package program and refer us to friends and family.
Can you share with us the challenges that you have encountered related to starting a business?
Oh, there were so many! In the early days, I assembled all of the Night Night Packages myself. I couldn’t keep up with the orders! My husband brilliantly said “if you want help, you need to ask for it.” I certainly did. So my business partner Jessica Bryan and I adjusted the format. We created the Adopt a Night Night Package program where we requested that folks purchase the totes from us (at $3 apiece to cover our costs), fill them, and deliver them. This widespread assistance permitted Project Night Night to grow exponentially in just three years.
Our other ongoing challenge is raising money. Although we run with very little overhead (approximately 98% of all donations go directly to aid the children we serve), we still need donations to cover the ongoing expenses of shipping, blanket purchases as necessary, storage facilities. Any advice or contacts from your readers would be appreciated!
What has been your biggest success thus far?
We have grown an astounding 700% on average each year. We attribute this to both (1) an extremely active volunteer network which provides word-of-mouth marketing, and (2) hitting a “emotional nerve.” Our Adopt a Night Night Program is simple and easy to understand. The Night Night Packages created go directly into the arms of homeless children, so it is a heartwarming project in which to participate.
What is your favorite free business resource?
Vistaprint.com! Once you sign up for coupons, you can take advantage of offers for free business cards, letterhead, etc. We use them to print virtually everything.
What words of advice would you provide to others who are considering starting a business?
Ask for help! I wanted to do it all on my own. I should have tapped friends and acquaintances for their suggestions and resources from the beginning.
Do you have any special offers for those reading this interview?
We would love your readers to volunteer to participate in our Adopt a Night Night Package program.
Would you like to be considered for an upcoming "Spotlight On" post? If you have a web site and a business Up & Running story, please email Jennifer Moore at Jennifer@Pink-Heels.com. You can be located anywhere in the world as we are creating a global network of fabulous women!
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1 comments:
WOW! What a fantastic idea. I'm so inspired by such a beautiful guesture. I had a look at Kendra's website and as it is only offered in the US, I'm going to see if I can help when I'm in New York. Thanks for spotlight this amazing business woman.
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