Festive Fun is around the corner for the Dallas Region! We put together a list with more than three dozen events and activities showcasing bright lights, falling snow, and jolly tunes. Go enjoy holiday tunes while driving through tunnels with 4 million holiday lights, adore winter flowers, or admire performances held by theatres around the region.

Milton Sleep Company teams with SM Wright Foundation to help southern Dallas children get their ZZZ’s

Sleep helps cognitive function and emotional regulation, but a good night’s rest is hard to come by.

Let’s face it. Few things have as big an impact on our overall wellbeing as a good night’s rest. But for many people, sleep is elusive. An always-on culture combined with individual stressors adds to many people complaining of insomnia. The CDC estimates that one-in-three people don’t get enough sleep. That translates into an estimated U.S. economic impact of more than $411 billion dollars each year.

For children ages 9 or 10, researchers at the National Institute of Health have found those children who got an insufficient amount of sleep (defined as less than nine hours per day) showed more mental health and behavioral problems like impulsivity, working memory, and conflict resolution – all of which persisted at a two-year follow-up.

In southern Dallas, the SM Wright Foundation is trying to address that problem through its Beds for Kids program, with the help of partners like Milton Sleep Company – a local manufacturer with a history of giving back.

“Not all families can afford beds for everyone, so some kids sleep on sofas or even the floor,” said SM Wright, II, president, CEO, and cofounder of the SM Wright Foundation. “But we know that when kids get good sleep, they learn better. Their behavior is better, that’s why we started Beds for Kids.” He says since starting in 2010, the program has given away more than 20,000 mattresses.

With a factory in Dallas, more than 70 years of experience, and the convenience of a ‘mattress in a box,’ Milton Sleep Co. saw an obvious connection.

“My grandparents had a history of philanthropy,” said CEO Michael Karotkin. “We’re trying to carry that forward … everybody deserves a great night’s sleep, especially children.”

That’s why on October 19, the company donated 10 mattresses and bed frames to S.M. Wright – a value of about $10 thousand dollars.

“On behalf of our 135 employees in our factory in Dallas, Milton is delighted to make life a little easier for some children through Beds for Kids,” said Karotkin.

The company started doing business in Austin in the 1930s and grew to become the largest furniture manufacturer west of the Mississippi River.

Back in 1959, the company signed a licensing agreement with Serta Mattresses, and ran both the furniture manufacturing and mattress businesses successfully for several decades. In 2003, they stopped manufacturing furniture to focus solely on the mattress business, which has seen several innovations in the recent past.

“We acquired compression technology and put it to work,” said Karotkin. It flattens, rolls, and shrink-wraps mattresses to a size that will fit inside most SUVs. This “mattress in a box” hit the market in 2021, as a direct-to-consumer product and, along with Milton Sleep Company’s traditional product, helped the overall business grow by 25% in 2022.

Between distribution through a variety of Texas retailers, as well as the ability to ship anywhere domestically, Milton is on track for 15% growth in 2023. True to its roots, the company has a longtime strategic partnership with the Austin FC Soccer Club and Foster Angels of Central Texas. And now, after being in business for nearly 90 years, and helping millions of Texans get a good night’s rest, the company has found a new way to provide value – helping Southern Dallas children get to sleep.

“My dad was an ad guy of the Mad Men variety, and he created this campaign for the city in the 1970s that was recognized by the mayor – and stuck with me personally. It essentially communicated, ‘Dallas wasn’t born with a silver spoon’ … we built this city by picking ourselves up by our bootstraps.”

He thinks it was so successful because of the idea that it tapped into – that, although the rest of the country might have had a view of Dallas through the Ewing family on the hit CBS television show, reality was more diverse.

“One of the things I think is fascinating about Dallas is our entrepreneurial heritage. Pioneers expanding West founded this city and I see glimpses of that spirit in people today.”

Dallas has earned a reputation as a great place to live, where opportunity can be found or created.

“There’s a bunch of us kind of “reformed” Hollywood and tech types that now live here and have made a conscientious effort to find each other and plug into institutions and communities that align with our interests and experience.”

Gannett has a background in banking, entertainment and tech – his experience includes starting, scaling, and selling businesses. He launched Gannett.Partners in 2022 – a combination coaching, advisory, strategic capital firm. He’s also joined the steering committees of Venture Dallas and the Dallas Museum of Art, and champions Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support.

Prior to moving (back) to DFW, he and his family had been in the New York City area for roughly 20-years. They’ve now settled in Farmers Branch after trying a couple other Dallas neighborhoods beginning with his native Highland Park.

“We enjoy lovely neighbors and a half-acre on a creek and golf course that’s close to our boys’ private schools. We have rolling hills and a multitude of beautiful municipal parks, a golf/country club in our back yard, fantastic public library and a local government that routinely operates at a budget surplus; and we’re central to both Frisco to the North of us and Downtown, which is South.”

For anyone considering relocating to DFW, he says, “kick the tires.” Follow your interests and explore the communities that might initially appear unintuitive. Dallas isn’t one thing. It’s many things, so research is key. “I’ve found my people by aligning with the DMA, Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support, Venture Dallas, Park House, and SMU’s Cox School of Business.”

For more Say Yes stories and information, click here.