Keller Williams' volunteers work on 'Red Day' to put this problem to bed

East County's Mark Coates, the co-founder of the Beds for Kids nonprofit, had delivered a bed to a Bradenton family in need in 2020, and had finished setting it up.

He was ready to leave the home, but first asked the family members if they would say a prayer with him.

The bed was for a 6-year-old girl, who bowed her head to pray. She had seen the Scripture verses that a volunteer had written on the slats of her new bed.

When Coates finished the prayer, the little girl looked up at her mother and said, "It's like Jesus will be hugging me while I am lying there asleep."

Coates has many stories of how families were affected positively after receiving a bed from his nonprofit. Fortunately, he told some of his stories to writer Eric Snider of Lakewood Ranch Life, a sister publication to the East County Observer.

Paula Jones, the head of the Culture Committee for Keller Williams Coastal Living II, was in charge of picking the company's annual Red Day theme for 2025. On Red Day, Keller Williams shuts down its business so its employees can participate in volunteer activities to give back to the community where they work.

Jones came upon Coates' story when she read the Lakewood Ranch Life magazine in November. She had found her Red Day theme.

"I loved that they were building beds in his workshop," she said of Coates, whose East County home is adjacent to Panther Ridge off State Road 70. "I love that everything was going to the local community."

Coates was thrilled that Keller Williams brought approximately 50 volunteers to his home May 8 to build beds for children in need.  

"I am overwhelmed," Coates said to the group. "I have no words."

He then found a few.

"What I have seen is that so many people want to help," he said. "But they don't know how. We get to be part of the how."

Keller Williams' Loretta Copper said she is passionate about humanitarian efforts that make a difference in the community. She said pairing Beds for Kids with Red Day was a perfect fit.

"It's amazing for two individuals (Coates and his wife, Brenda) in their 70s to be doing this," Copper said. "They are following what they feel God has asked them to do.

"And there are so many children in need. (This effort) is very compassionate and moving. Mark told us a story about two boys who were 18 and who had never slept in a bed before they received one (from Beds for Kids). Every single penny goes to the kids and the beds."

Red Day is held each year by Keller Williams on the second Thursday of May. It was founded by former Keller Williams CEO Mo Anderson. This year Keller Williams Coastal Living 2 employees raised $10,000 to fund the building of beds through its KW Cares nonprofit.

Beds for Kids became a nonprofit in 2020. Coates, a former tavern owner in Fort Wayne, Indiana, had come upon First United Methodist Church Pastor Clark Edwards, who was running a program by himself to supply kids in need with beds. Coates decided he wanted to help Edwards, who is now a Beds for Kids board member.

Coates said the BridgePoint Church of St. Petersburg originally had been running such a program and showed Coates how they ran it.

No matter who had the idea first, it was something that was needed.

"BridgePoint got it from a church in Kentucky," Coates said.

Typically, a bed package is delivered to families in need, including either a twin-sized frame or a bunk bed, a mattress or mattresses, bedding (sheets, a comforter, pillow), a Bible, a kneel prayer rug, and a stuffed toy for the younger kids.

"We took it on to help the case workers," Coates said. "The case workers know of the need.

"We work with over 90 organizations ... government, churches and schools. It is about creating a safe place for children to sleep."

Coates said he is thrilled that Snyder told the Beds for Kids story in Lakewood Ranch Life.

"The article opened the hearts of people who wanted to help," he said.

Red Day isn't the only day the nonprofit stays busy. Beds for Kids holds a building day once a month and the organization has more than 190 volunteers, not including those who helped May 8.

Coates said Beds for Kids will supply kids in need more than 500 beds in 2025 after delivering 487 beds in 2024.

Among those who deliver beds is Todd Shear, a major in the Manatee County Sheriff's Office and a Beds for Kids board member. He said it might be surprising to people that in every part of Manatee County there are children who don't have a bed to sleep on.

He recalled delivering a bed to a family in a Lakewood Ranch apartment complex. He said there was no furniture in the apartment ... none. He said the mom and two kids were sleeping on a blanket on the floor.