What we are quietly working on.
Sleepo Foundation is in an early, learning-focused phase. Rather than launching broad offerings, we are running small, carefully designed pilots that help us understand what truly supports families' emotional well-being. All programs are provided at no cost or nominal fee (under $5) to ensure accessibility for every family.
Who We Serve
Primary Beneficiaries: Children ages 2-12 and their families
Particular Focus:
- Families in rural or underserved areas with limited access to mental health resources
- Children experiencing anxiety, transitions, or emotional challenges
- Families seeking culturally responsive emotional support tools
- Parents who want to build emotional literacy but lack specialized knowledge
Geographic Service Area: Currently serving families in Washington State, with plans to expand regionally as resources allow.
Current Early-Stage Activities
Program 1: Personalized Bedtime Story Series
Working with a small group of families, we craft personalized story series that highlight each child's strengths, challenges, and cultural context in a gentle, age-appropriate way. Stories are delivered via audio format during bedtime routines when children are most receptive to emotional processing.
Target Ages: 4-10 years old
Families Served (Year 1): 10-15 families
Expected Outcomes:
- Reduction in bedtime anxiety (parent-reported)
- Increased emotional vocabulary in children
- Improved parent-child communication
- Stronger bedtime routines and sleep quality
Program 2: Parent Reflection Tools
We provide simple reflection prompts and frameworks that help parents talk about feelings, routines, and values with their children in everyday language. These educational resources strengthen parent capacity for emotional conversations.
Target Audience: Parents of children 2-12
Families Served (Year 1): 30-50 families
Expected Outcomes:
- Increased parent confidence discussing emotions
- More frequent emotional check-ins with children
- Reduced parenting stress
- Stronger family communication patterns
Program 3: Research & Evaluation
We conduct systematic study of how story-based interventions affect children's emotional well-being, in partnership with child development experts. This work advances public knowledge in childhood emotional health education.
Purpose: Evidence-based program improvement and field contribution
Activities:
- Pre/post surveys with participating families
- Analysis of program effectiveness
- Documentation of best practices
- Sharing findings with practitioners and researchers
Exploration: Technology as a Quiet Helper
We are exploring how technology may support parents in delivering stories in their own voices, without adding overstimulation or turning bedtime into extra screen time. Technology serves the mission, not the reverse.
Design Principles:
- Audio-first (minimal or no screen time)
- Parent voice recording capability
- Simple, non-addictive interfaces
- Privacy-protective (minimal data collection)
Charitable Impact Goals
By providing free educational storytelling resources, we aim to:
- Reduce childhood anxiety and emotional distress through preventive support
- Strengthen parent-child emotional bonds through enhanced communication
- Increase emotional vocabulary and regulation skills in children ages 2-12
- Provide preventive support that reduces need for crisis intervention
- Serve families who cannot afford private therapy or counseling ($100-200/session)
- Advance knowledge in childhood emotional health education through research
How We Learn & Iterate
We hold structured conversations with caregivers, educators, and practitioners to understand what is helpful, what is not, and where we must tread especially carefully. This collaborative approach ensures our programs truly meet needs rather than imposing predetermined solutions.
Our Learning Process:
- Small pilot groups (5-15 families) test new approaches
- Regular feedback sessions with participating families
- Consultation with child development experts and mental health practitioners
- Iterative refinement based on what families tell us works
- Documentation of lessons learned to benefit the broader field
Future Direction (Subject to Board Approval)
Over time, and as governance and funding allow, we may grow these pilots into more formal programs, such as:
- Expanded free access to story-based emotional literacy resources for more families
- Workshops or online webinars for parents on building calming bedtime rituals
- Partnerships with schools or community organizations serving children in underserved areas
- Multi-language resources (Spanish, Chinese, and other languages as needed)
- Training for educators and practitioners on using storytelling for emotional support
Any formal programs will remain aligned with our charitable purpose of supporting children's emotional well-being and family connection. All services will continue to be provided free or at nominal cost to ensure accessibility regardless of family income.
Why Nonprofit Structure Matters
We operate as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (rather than a business) because:
- We can prioritize public benefit over profit, keeping services free or low-cost
- We're accountable to our mission, not shareholders seeking returns
- Families can trust that we're not selling their data or exploiting vulnerabilities
- We can accept tax-deductible donations to sustain charitable work
- We operate with public transparency through Form 990 reporting