Steps for Sleep: Hope in Action

It’s not hard to have hope when you’re surrounded by people gathered for a good purpose.

On Saturday, September 8, I joined My Very Own Bed’s Steps for Sleep fundraiser and wellness fair—a day that reminded me how hope grows when we move, connect, and care for one another.

Hope in Action

My Very Own Bed has a simple, powerful mission: to give children their very own bed—“a place to sleep, dream, and recharge.” Too often, kids transitioning into permanent housing are sleeping on floors, air mattresses, or crowded into shared beds. By providing new beds and Dream Kits, this nonprofit offers more than furniture. It offers dignity, stability, and a foundation for learning and growth.

At Steps for Sleep, that mission came to life. Families danced, stretched, and drummed through “Movement Moments”—joyful bursts of activity that reminded us wellness can be fun, communal, and deeply hopeful.

BetterWorld at the Fair

I was honored to represent BetterWorld Partners at the wellness fair, offering tools for healthy communication across differences. I handed out resources (and yes, a little dark chocolate), but what stayed with me were the conversations—old friends, new allies, and the creative, caring ways people are building stronger communities.

Stories of Connection

Everywhere I turned, hope was tangible: – Tish from Grace Healed Me, offering massage as healing. – Green Garden Bakery, a youth-run business with unforgettable chocolate chip jalapeño cookies. – Brown Babies Puzzles, Puzzles, bringing racially diverse representation into kids’ playrooms. – Priya Narula of KeyHubs and her husband, Vikas of Neighborhood Forest, giving free trees to children every Earth Day. – Minneapolis University Rotary Club, donating 1,800 books so children can dream bigger, and fellow consultant and IDI QA Latosha Cox, spreading joy wherever she goes.

And, of course, I reconnected with family—my sister-in-law Meg Hobday, Dream Developer for My Very Own Bed—whose energy and connections wove joy through the whole day.

Carrying Hope Forward

I left the fair lighter, inspired, and grounded in a simple truth: hope isn’t delicate or far-off. It’s right here—in our neighbors, our nonprofits, our youth, and in the everyday acts of generosity that quietly change lives.

That Saturday—surrounded by laughter, cookies, puzzles, trees, and new beds for children—I saw hope everywhere.

And I carried it home.