A Blissful Feeling

Blissful Bedrooms Makes Over Bedrooms for the Disabled

Many of us look at our lives and feel grateful for our jobs, our homes or our families. But we often don’t realize how lucky we are to walk, talk or even leave our homes every day. Martha Gold-Dvoryadkin and her husband, Alex Dvoryadkin, Astoria residents and founders of the non-profit organization Blissful Bedrooms, never forget.

Blissful Bedrooms transforms the rooms of wheelchairbound, severely disabled individuals under 25 years of age, who spend most of their lives at home. All funds and materials are donated or pulled from the pockets of the founders; all workers volunteer. But there is never enough to help everyone.

The couple’s first bedroom makeover was a gift to one of Martha’s former students. Martha is a pediatric therapist in a special education school; her student can’t move any part of her body below her head and is completely dependent on caregivers. “It was an incredible feeling for Martha and I to see [her] reaction to her new room, one that we never anticipated, which stayed with us for weeks after, and which inspired us to do it again with others,” Alex says.

Melissa's bedroom before

Melissa's bedroom after

Last month, the couple completed their eleventh makeover, with the help of nearly 150 contributions and 20 volunteers. They transformed 18-year-old Melissa Cabrera’s space into her dream bedroom, a fairyland. A video of Cabrera on the day of the makeover reveal—which can be found by visiting this article online—shows her squealing with excitement, “This is the best day I ever had in my life!”

Throughout the application and preparation process, Melissa’s mother and sister, Griselle, were skeptical, unconvinced people could perform such a selfless act.

During the makeover, which took a full weekend, Griselle saw why: “[Martha and Alex] do it because they genuinely love these kids.”

Unfortunately, Blissful Bedrooms struggles to find enough funds, time and even storage space to work. “There are so many areas we need help in,” Martha explains, noting grant writers, researchers, fundraisers and other behind-the-scenes volunteers in particular. “Most of our makeovers are done from donations of $20 [from many people],” she says. “That’s the beautiful part of it but that’s also the part where we really need people on board to help.”

We all have something that someone else might not. And whether it’s loaning an empty storage facility, sending in a small donation or volunteering for a local organization, we can all help to better our community—and ourselves.

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CHANGE THE WORLD ONE STEP AT A TIME!

Blissful Bedrooms: See what the group needs to continue helping disabled youth. Visit blissfulbedrooms.org/wishlist.html

Meals on Wheels: Astoria and Long Island City have seven senior centers/ meals-on-wheels locations where volunteers are needed to prepare and package dinners, drive, organize schedules, make phone calls and more. Visit mealcall.org

YMCA: The local branch, on Queens Boulevard at 32nd Place, needs volunteers to raise funds, coach sports teams and help youth to build character and make smart life choices. Visit ymcanyc.org

Green Shores NYC: This organization partners with individuals and other organizations in the area to improve and promote the waterfront parks and shorelines in Astoria and LIC. Visit greenshoresnyc.org

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