The Aramli Foundation

Est. 2020 | Newport, Rhode Island

The Aramli Foundation

The Aramli Foundation is a Newport local private charitable foundation intended to support families and children in need. The Aramli Foundation is funded directly by proceeds from the BedJet company, enabled by the over 250,000 BedJet units sold by the company and its continued emergence as a national sleep brand. The Foundation’s mission is most heavily focused on children and family needs around Newport, RI and the surrounding Aquidneck Island area.

Mark and Ida Aramli, the husband/wife team behind the Aramli Foundation. 

Mark and Ida Aramli, the husband/wife team behind the Aramli Foundation.

As of 2024, the BedJet company has donated over $2.5 million in grants and endowment funding to help the following family-oriented community support organizations among many others:

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center of Newport (MLK Center)
  • Child & Family of RI
  • Newport Hospital Foundation
  • Newport Mental Health
  • Lucy's Hearth Shelter
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County
  • Newport Housing Hotline
  • Edward King House Senior Center
  • Bike Newport
  • East Bay Community Action Program of RI (EBCAP)
  • Several church parishes

Ida and Mark Aramli (left) with Heather Hole Strout (right), the Executive Director of Newport's MLK Community Center.

We are humbled to play some small role in supporting local families who need a lift. We are also incredibly grateful to the worldwide and enthusiastic community of BedJet owners whose ongoing support of BedJet enables the charitable work of the Aramli Foundation.

For more information about the Aramli Foundation or to apply for future grants, please click the button below or contact Shelley Shaw (shelleyshaw@bedjet.com, 401-404-5250 x 122).


Special MLK Center Meal Sponsorships of the Aramli Foundation

The Aramli Foundation has also funded a series of free lunches and dinners at the MLK Community Center in Newport, catered by local restaurants. Said founder Mark Aramli, “Food is joy. While community food pantries have done an incredible job ensuring all those threatened with hunger have access to quality food, many local food pantry clients still do not get to experience the simple joy of a fine Newport restaurant meal that many of us take for granted. We’re so happy to enable this joyful experience to food pantry clients while also providing a small boost to local Newport restaurants.”

BedJet CEO Mark Aramli serves hot meals to local food pantry clients

BedJet CEO and Aramli Foundation Trustee Mark Aramli (far left) serves up a hot meal to the food pantry clients at the MLK Community Center. The Aramli Foundation sponsored Newport fine dining Italian restaurant Vieste to serve some of their best southern Italian specialty dishes.

Local children line up to get free treats from an ice cream truck, courtesy of the Aramli Foundation

Local children from the MLK Community Center's Day Program line up to enjoy some free frozen treats on a hot day, sponsored by the Aramli Foundation.

Mark and Ida Aramli serve hot meals to local food pantry clients

Aramli Foundation Trustees Mark & Ida Aramli (center) serve up a hot meal to the food pantry clients at the MLK Community Center. The Aramli Foundation sponsored Newport gastropub Speakeasy to serve some of their signature steak and shrimp scampi dishes.


Aramli Foundation Community Awards

Child & Family RI
Community Partner of the Year 2021

Mark & Ida Aramli pictured with Marty Sinnott, President & CEO of Child & Family of RI.

MLK Jr. Community Center
Keeper of the Dream
Community Partner of 2022

Mark & Ida Aramli pictured with Heather Hole Strout, Executive Director of the MLK Center.


BedJet & Aramli Foundation's COVID-19 Support

The continuous support from our BedJet customers has had a direct impact in helping our healthcare workers and first responders during the COVID-19 global pandemic. In early April 2020, we donated over 3,600 much-needed N95 masks to hospitals and nursing homes in New York and Rhode Island, as well as our local Rhode Island Police and Fire Departments.

These masks were sourced internationally, adding to the sum supply available in the United States at the time.

dozens of boxes of N95 masks

Over 3,600 N95 masks were sourced from overseas to add to the US sum total supply.

Members of the Newport Police Department pose with a sign that says

The Newport Police Department received a donation of N95 masks from BedJet for their front-line workers.

Two healthcare workers pose with a box of N95 masks and a sign that says

Rhode Island's South County Hospital received a donation of masks for their staff.

Two healthcare workers give a socially distanced high-five while holding a sign that says

EBCAP Nurse Esther Trneny (left) and EBCAP Physician Assistant Nelsy Lopes give a socially distanced high-five before distributing masks to their front-line staff.

Two members of the Newport Lions Club wear N95 masks and hold signs that say

Newport Lions Club President Dave Dittmann (right) and board member Paul Tobak (left) prepare to hand out the masks donated by BedJet to the Club's elderly members.