MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — The Tigers spent Saturday morning giving back to deserving children in a major way.
After doing drills with the Tigers and coaching staff at the Billy J. Murphy Athletics Complex, kids at Youth Villages were surprised with new beds, courtesy of Ashley’s Hope to Dream program.
The one hundred children blessed Saturday either share a bed, sleep on the floor, or on a couch. They will now not only have a new twin mattress but will also get a bed frame, bedding, and pillows — just in time for the start of the new school year.
“It shows you the type of young men that we have in our program,” said Tigers coach Ryan Silverfield. “That it’s not just about football. We understand we got to win a bunch of football games on Saturday and we will go out and compete for a championship. But there’s much more to this than just football. We’re here to develop young men, and that’s what they’re doing.”
Every year, Ashley stores donate a portion of their mattress sales to Hope To Dream. Since 2010, the program has gifted over 125,000 children in North America with twin beds for a better night’s sleep. This marks the sixth year Ashley has presented a Hope to Dream event with the University of Memphis Athletics.