The Daily News reported yesterday on Marcos Maldonado’s Sweet Dreams project which will replace mattresses lost to bed bug infestations for children living in Astoria Houses, a public housing complex in Queens:

Maldonado’s pilot program focuses on children from low-income families between the ages of 3 and 12.

“I have already mailed 1,000 letters to Astoria Houses families announcing my Sweet Dreams project,” he said.

Maldonado is hoping to raise $10,000 by asking 10 local churches to donate $1,000 each. With this amount, Maldonado estimates that he can purchase 50 mattresses that cost about $200 each.

Sweet Dreams already has raised $6,000.

Marcos Maldonado told the News that he wants to “take away the stigma associated with living in public housing.”