When I walked into the hotel on Wednesday morning it looked like a scene from “The Princess and the Pea”. Piles… and piles… and piles… of mattresses!

I headed down one of the hallways to get some coffee and the walls lined with mattresses made me think, “Have I gone insane? Was I fired months ago, and I just think I’m at work, when in reality I’m in an institution with padded walls??”

No… the smiling faces of the housekeepers carrying the mattresses out to a big truck in the parking lot confirmed that I hadn’t been committed. We were, in fact, donating 186 mattresses to the Open Door Mission, an organization and shelter that strives to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty. Our recent sleeper-sofa upgrades have allowed us to give to this great organization.

During my time volunteering at the Open Door Mission and other shelters in the Omaha area one issue has always been prevalent: There just aren’t enough beds. I feel lucky to work in a place that gives back to the community – one good night’s sleep at a time!

Pictured above is Darren Timberlake, the Community Relations Coordinator at the Open Door Mission.

-Kristin Nielsen, Event Services Manager