Changing the world, one good night’s sleep at a time
As the temperature begins dropping, more and more children need a simple item for more comfortable nights: pajamas. During the past eight years, Genevieve Piturro has provided more than 600,000 pairs of pajamas, as well as book and stuffed animals, to children in shelters and foster care programs through her nonprofit Pajama Program. Why did this former marketing consultant give up a high-paying career in the entertainment industry for what started as a full-time volunteer position? Here’s more:
Jennifer Haupt: How were you inspired to start the Pajama Program?
Genevieve Piturro: As a little girl, I cherished the evening ritual of scurrying into my pajamas so I’d have plenty of time for my mom to read a bedtime story. She’d pull the covers tightly under my chin and tell me to sleep tight as a bug in a rug, and that ritual made me feel very loved. Every child deserves to go to sleep knowing they are safe, warm and loved.
JH: Was there a small step you took before decided to devote your full-time energy to changing the world in this small but meaningful way?
GP: I was volunteering at an after-school program for abused children in Spanish Harlem.
One day, I brought about a dozen pairs of pajamas and laid them on a table for the kids to choose from. I’ll never forget a little girl with big brown eyes who stared at me and whispered, “What are those?” When I told her they were pajamas to sleep in, and asked what she slept in, she tugged on her raggedy pants. That’s when a caseworker told me that many of the kids were sleeping on a cot, or more than one child to a twin bed, in the same dirty clothes they had worn all day. I knew providing kids with pajamas was a small thing I could do to make a big difference.
JH: What was the turning point when you knew you had to devote your life to this program?
GP: A parenting magazine wrote a small article about what I was doing, and within weeks of publication my tiny Upper Westside apartment was literally filled with boxes of pajamas from individuals, churches, schools, and clubs nationwide. My husband and I were eating dinner off of boxes of pajamas! I began reaching out to dozens of organizations in New York that serve foster children, homeless children, critically ill children. At first, it was a bit overwhelming to consider how many kids could use some extra TLC, then people started stepping up in other parts of the country and we formed chapters nationwide that serve more than 400 outlets.
JH: And now you have celebrity moms and big corporations supporting you.
GP: Yes, Meredith Vieira and Patti LaBelle have spoken at fundraisers. Clothing manufacturers such as Dearform Slippers and Land’s End donate sleepwear, and Fortune 100 companies such as Mattel, Pfizer, Toys R Us and Verizon have been very generous with grants and donations.
JH: What does this program mean so much to you?
A. I never had children of my own, but my husband reminds me all the time that I really have tens of thousands of children. These kids mean everything to me. They really do give me faith that I’m doing something bigger than my own life.
To find out more about The Pajama Program and how to get involved, please visit http://www.pajamaprogram.org.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Great program and something I just wouldn’t think about.
What a wonderful program. And so sad that some kids didn’t even know what pj’s were for.
This story is so inspiring and sweet. We are feeling the bite of the change in the weather and having cozy pajamas really helps ease us into the fall. Kudos to this wonderful program!
it’s also good to hear how one person stepping up helps inspire others to act
Genevieve Piturro is certainly making a difference in the lives of these children. How wonderful to not only have a great idea, but to make it your life work! Thanks for reporting on this program.
This is such a great story. I also have great memories of bedtime and my pj’s when I was a kid. They do bring back memories of feeling warm and loved. I’m sure Genevieve’s program is doing that for many more children.
Aww… this is a wonderfully inspiring story! It’s heart-breaking to think that these kids don’t even know what pajamas are!
I absolutely love to sleep in warm and cozy PJs. Imagine a child not getting that. Such a lovely thing to do. Thanks for bringing attention to this faith program. I tweeted it, of course!
The gift and vision that sprang from Genevieve Piturro’s heart and soul is awesome! I agree with Susan and Jackie, adding that some comforts are so simple and — for the giver — a joy to share.
I’ve had foster kids who arrived with a handful of clothes in a paper sack. What a wonderful program this is!
How sad to realize this problem exists, but how inspiring to read about this woman and what she is doing to make an important difference in the lives of these children. I loved this interview.
This is a lovely, inspiring post, Jen.
Thanks for sharing this, Jen. I am re-evaluating my own options and thing something like this would make me so happy.
Great story. There’s another program I’ve always been impressed with–Project Night, Night. I believe it’s nationwide, but individuals collect a book and a blanket to give to children in homeless shelters.
Heck! I’m still excited to get into my PJs at the end of the day. This is a great idea. Maybe instead of holiday gifts this year, I’ll buy a bunch of PJs and donate them to our county shelter.
A friend of mine just launched a NP where she provides socks and undies to the homeless. It’s the little things that people don’t always think to donate. Great interview!