Dozens of volunteers gathered Saturday at the Daviess County Lions Fairgrounds to help Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) build beds for children in need, marking a milestone with the construction of the organization’s 1,000th bed in Owensboro.
SHP is a nonprofit that builds and delivers beds to children ages 3-17 who don’t have one of their own. Bryan Byrne, chapter president for SHP’s Daviess County chapter, said the local effort has already helped 976 children get “off the floor” since launching in 2019.
“We are building beds for children in the community who don’t have a bed,” Byrne said. “There is approximately 3% of any population with kids sleeping without a bed. That would be about 3,000 children for Daviess County, but with the immigrant farmers, the Burmese, and the new Afghans coming in, we believe we’re closer to 4%.”
Byrne said each bed comes complete with a mattress, comforter, pillow, and sheets. The wooden frames are treated with a mixture of vinegar and steel wool to provide color and help repel insects.
SHP hosts monthly builds on the second Saturday, relying on community support to reach as many children as possible. Byrne said the group typically builds about 30 beds at a time but has recently scaled back to 20 due to a shortage of delivery teams.
“Our number one thing we just found out recently is nobody even knows we exist,” Byrne said. “That’s what we’re trying to do — get our name out there, not for our own good, but for the good of the kids who need it.”
Julie Morris, regional chapter support lead for SHP, praised the commitment of local volunteers.
“Owensboro has passion beyond compare,” Morris said. “They are a great group. They’re willing to do anything it takes to get these kids in beds, and I’m super proud of them.”
The Daviess County chapter currently has 27 children on its waiting list, but Byrne said Saturday’s build will allow them to fulfill all current requests. SHP plans to continue building monthly and is seeking additional volunteers, especially for delivery teams to meet the ongoing need.
“This is a community problem, and we need a community solution,” Morris said. “Any age can help. If you can wipe off your counter, you can learn to sand.”
For more information or to get involved, visit https://shpbeds.org.
