Nonprofit program commemorates National Child Abuse Prevention Month with announcement of donations to provide new pajamas to children in need for eternity
Darcy Neighbors, champion behind DJs for PJs and founder and chief executive officer of CIM Marketing Partners, made a significant announcement regarding the future of the DJs for PJs program. After collecting more than 100,000 new pairs of pajamas since 2003 for local agencies to distribute to Southern Nevada children in need, the nonprofit organization now plans to donate a total of $4,500 annually in perpetuity to three charities: Department of Family Service’s Child Haven, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, and SafeNest.
The annual payment of $1,500 to each charity will be funded by the DJs for PJs endowment managed by the Nevada Community Foundation.
Created as a class project by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Las Vegas Class of 2003 (LLV 03 Class), DJs for PJs started as a one-day collection event, securing sponsorships for monetary donations, and working with local media to promote the event with live, on-air solicitations for pajama and cash contributions.
The first year, more than 3,000 new pairs of pajamas and cash equivalents were collected and distributed to charities to use for clients in need. Over the years Neighbors, the team at CIM Marketing Partners, and members of LLV 03 Class, have donated thousands of hours to continue the initiative and provide warm pajamas to abused, neglected, and abandoned children.
“What began as a one-time event, continued as an annual fundraiser and collection event for more than a decade,” shared Neighbors. “Our greater Las Vegas community is incredibly giving, with countless companies and individuals coming together over the years to collect more than 100,000 new pajamas and cash equivalents. This is a dream for me to see this idea come to life, and now, that will live on forever.”
As April is National Child Abuse Prevention month, it is particularly appropriate to recognize and support the work that Department of Family Service’s Child Haven, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, and SafeNest do to protect children in Southern Nevada. This endowment will provide 365 pairs of new pajamas each year to the children these organizations serve. Any additional donations in the years to come will be used to increase the number of pajamas provided.
Donations will still be accepted through the charity’s website.
Each of the three charities selected provides critical crisis services to children in Southern Nevada. Child Haven is an emergency foster care shelter at the Clark County Department of Family Services and is a short-term care solution for children and youth entering care until a relative or long-term foster family is found. St. Jude’s Ranch for Children is a community of healing and hope for children and young people that have been abused, neglected, homeless, or exploited. And SafeNest is Nevada’s largest, most comprehensive nonprofit dedicated to ending the epidemic of domestic violence.
In addition to the endowment announcement, the City of Las Vegas will provide DJs for PJs with a Proclamation declaring April 9th DJs for PJs Perpetual Pajama Day.
About DJs for PJs
Founded in 2003, DJs for PJs is a Las Vegas-based non-profit organization with a mission to provide new pairs of pajamas to children in need by collecting actual pajama donations and cash equivalents which are distributed to non-profit organizations to use for their clients. In 2021, the DJs for PJs endowment managed by the Nevada Community Foundation begun providing a total of $4,500 annually in perpetuity to three charities: Department of Family Service’s Child Haven, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, and SafeNest. More information is available at djsforpjs.org.
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