We're Home: Celebrating Our New Warehouse with the Community That Makes It All Possible
There's something special about opening a door and seeing your community walk through it.
On Saturday, April 25th, that's exactly what happened at OHAAT’s brand-new warehouse and the official home of the Beds for Kids program for the next seven years. Close to 100 community members, donors, volunteers, and partners came out to celebrate with us, and we couldn't be more grateful for every single person who showed up.
A Ribbon Cutting to Remember
The afternoon included a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Pennsylvania State Representative Melissa Cerrato, who not only cut the ribbon but took a moment to speak from the heart about why this work matters to her personally.
"I think it's important that everyone has dignity, and everyone can grow up knowing that they have a safe place to go at the end of the day," said Representative Cerrato. "I was elected in 2022, and one of the first nonprofits I had the pleasure of being introduced to was right here. It just touched my heart. I'm a mom of four, and I couldn't imagine a child going one night without a place to sleep. This truly means something — and it can make a real difference for the children and families that OHAAT makes sure have the dignity of having their own bed. I may not represent this district, but I represent the cause, and I will always be here to stand beside you all."
We were also honored to welcome State Representative Joe Prokopiak, State Representative Joe Hogan, and Benita King, DHS Operations Director for Child Welfare for the City of Philadelphia. Their presence on Saturday was a powerful reminder that the work of ending child bedlessness is a community effort — one that spans neighborhoods, districts, and counties.
Why This Moment Matters
For our Executive Director Kate Fay, the celebration was about much more than a new address.
"There are so many kids in our community who right now don't have a place to sleep tonight — that's really why the Beds for Kids program is here, and that's the community we're here to support," said Fay. "Last year, we were incredibly proud to deliver 3,523 beds to children who didn't have a bed of their own to sleep in. It's really transformational, what we've been able to do here."
That number — 3,523 — represents a 67% increase over just three years, and reflects both the growing need in our region and the trust that over 400 referral partners place in us every single day. With a secured seven-year lease, the Beds for Kids program now has the operational stability to keep scaling responsibly and reach even more children who need us.
More Than a Ribbon Cutting
The open house wasn't just a ceremony — it was a celebration, and the OHAAT community made it one to remember.
Guests rolled up their sleeves to make no-sew blankets that will go directly to bed recipients. They wrote cards with messages of encouragement for the children we serve. Kids (and more than a few adults) got their faces painted. Attendees tested their sleep knowledge on our carnival-style trivia spinning wheel. And in true community fashion, there was plenty of food, drinks, corn hole toss, and ladder ball to keep the energy going all afternoon.
It was exactly the kind of afternoon we hoped for — warm, joyful, and full of the people who make this program possible.
What's Next
This new warehouse isn't just a bigger space. It's a foundation. It means more room for beds, more capacity for volunteer packing events, and more efficient delivery coordination for the families who need us most. The Beds for Kids program provides brand-new beds, bedding, and personalized bedtime bags to children and youth ages 2–20 from low-income families experiencing housing instability, poverty, or crisis — and from this new home, we're ready to do more of it than ever before.
To everyone who came out on Saturday, thank you. To everyone who has donated, volunteered, referred a family, or shared our mission — thank you. This warehouse is yours too.
Here's to the next seven years. 🛏️💜💚
