Dear Colleague:

Thank you so much for continuing to support the AASM Foundation during these unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty have created a challenging environment for everyone. We have seen significant changes in how health care providers can safely interact with patients and provide treatment, and we know that medical schools, health care providers and institutions are being challenged in ways that many could have never foreseen. Additionally, the urgent need to address and condemn racism has ignited discussions and calls for action on social justice as well as highlighted the importance of addressing healthcare disparities in all fields of medicine.

The AASM Foundation will be exploring how our programs can better promote diversity, equity and inclusiveness and we value the input of our stakeholders. Please contact the AASM Foundation’s Director of Development, Joe Donohue, at giving@aasm.org or 630-737-9725 to discuss any ideas you may have.

Although the first half of 2020 has given us many obstacles to overcome, the AASM Foundation has offered additional support to our award recipients by allowing for project extensions. We also created a COVID-19 relief funding award to provide supplemental funding for ongoing AASM Foundation-funded projects that may have incurred unanticipated expenses due to the pandemic.

I am also pleased to share some exciting updates about how the AASM Foundation is leaning into our mission: Promote discoveries that advance the understanding of sleep for healthier lives.

  • Sweet Dreamzzz was announced as the inaugural recipient of the Sleep Champion Award. This new award was specifically created to expand our relationships with stakeholders in the sleep community, and the award celebrates the exceptional work that community-based organizations are doing at the local level.
  • The Community Sleep Health Award, which was created to support projects spearheaded by community leaders dedicated to addressing sleep health needs and well-being, was awarded to two new projects. One of the projects focuses on providing beds and education to socio-economically disadvantaged children in Philadelphia, and the other Maryland-based project researches juveniles’ perceptions of sleep quality during detention.

Our five-year strategic plan includes many new initiatives, like the ones above, that will enable the AASM Foundation to achieve our goals by addressing unanswered scientific questions and improving care for patients and diverse communities by helping train the next generation of sleep scientists. I hope you will support these efforts by making a donation today.

Our vision is to improve the health of all people by supporting the sleep science that matters to patients, practitioners, and the public. Thanks to the generous support of donors like you, we can make our vision a reality.

Sincerely,

Stephen H. Sheldon, DO, FAASM
Chair, Development Council