Highlights from OHAAT's First Community Sleep Health Summit
On Tuesday, October 27, One House at a Time (OHAAT) hosted its first-ever Community Sleep Health Summit at The CORE at Esperanza in Philadelphia. The free morning event brought together referral partners, caregivers, educators, and community members, including guests from more than 25 referral partner organizations, for a conversation about why sleep matters so much for children's health, learning, and well-being.
It's a conversation close to our mission. At least 7,200 children and youth in Greater Philadelphia don't have a bed of their own, and through the Beds for Kids program we see every day what a safe, comfortable place to sleep can do. The summit was a chance to widen that conversation and look at sleep from every angle.
A Keynote from Dr. Jodi Mindell
We were honored to welcome Dr. Jodi Mindell, a nationally recognized expert in pediatric sleep health, as our keynote speaker. Dr. Mindell shared research on how sleep shapes child development, including the important difference between sleepiness and and fatigue.
The research on pairing a bed with education resonated with many in the room. As one attendee told us: “It shows how much a bed and the knowledge to use it well can change a child's day-to-day life.” That idea is at the heart of our work.
Dr. Mindell also pointed attendees to several resources for continued learning: babysleep.com, letssleep.org, and the Doze app.
Perspectives from Across the Community
Following the keynote, a panel moderated by Tamica Tanksley, writer, motivational speaker, and host of 2Sips of T, brought together Joe Torre of the Resilience Resource Center and Dr. Melissa Xanthopoulos and Dr. Becca Hammonds of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. An audience Q&A added even more depth and gave attendees plenty to bring back to their teams.
Breakout Sessions
Attendees also took part in hands-on breakout sessions led by three community organizations:
Cosmic Writers led a bedtime journaling session that showed how “journaling” can take many forms, so kids of all ages and abilities, writers and non-writers alike, can use it to put their day behind them as they settle down for bed.
Inward Bloom offered a sound bath and meditation.
Monarch Yoga led gentle chair yoga, rooted in traditional yogic asana and breath awareness.
Connecting Families and Resources
Community resource partners tabled throughout the morning, including GPCA, Philly Families CAN, Maternity Care Coalition, St. Christopher's Hospital, Inward Bloom, and Ruach Lab. As one attendee put it, it was a chance “to see how many people in our community are caring for the same families from different angles.”
Thank You
The summit wouldn't have been possible without our sponsors: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Penn Community Bank, Independence Blue Cross, Gerhard's Appliances, Rick Graber of Thrivent, and Univest. We're also grateful to every speaker, panelist, breakout leader, tabling partner, and guest who joined us. In 2025, our Beds for Kids program served more than 3,500 children across the region, and it's partnerships like these that make that work possible.
