Every child deserves a bed. It seems like such a simple thing. But across the country, a staggering number of children are sleeping on the floor. The Central Oregon community has been working hard to change that by building beds for kids ages 3 to 17, and giving them to their families at no cost.
“There are people here who want to do good,” said Bob Mickelsen, cofounder of the Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) Deschutes Chapter. “This gives them a chance to do that.”
He and his wife, Robyn, first discovered SHP, a nationwide bed-building nonprofit, while volunteering in Grants Pass in 2019. Upon returning home, they decided to start a new chapter in Bend. By February 2020, alongside about 25 volunteers, Bob and Robyn had built their first 10 beds, ready to be donated to kids in need.
Since then, Joe Myers has taken over as the chapter’s president, and SHP has delivered nearly 3,000 beds to underprivileged children across Central Oregon. Much of that success comes from volunteers and partners such as Home Depot, AAA, Trinity Lutheran Church and local nonprofit Furnish Hope.
Partnerships Strengthen Hope
“We have been partnering with SHP for the past five years. It has been a wonderful relationship,” said Megan Martin, founding executive director at Furnish Hope. “Last year, we teamed up for a bed giveaway in Warm Springs. We distributed over 70 beds to school-age children there. Those children were previously sleeping on the floor.”
The organization, coordination, and hard work to plan these bed builds is a huge task. But Joe Myers manages it. Before each event, Myers hauls all the tools and supplies to the build site. This site could be a warehouse, church, or business parking lot. He and a few seasoned volunteers also cut the wood slats ahead of time.
On build day, volunteers of all ages and skill levels drill, sand, stain, and brand the bed pieces. They also assemble each bedframe. In the days following, a few more volunteers deliver the beds to their new homes. They finish assembling them on site. Thanks to local donations, each bed comes with a new mattress and bedding.
The real impact is difficult to measure. “One year, we delivered a bunkbed to two young girls, ages 6 and 4,” Myers recalled. “They had made a nest of blankets and pillows for themselves in the closet. That’s where they slept. When we made these beds for those girls, one ran up and hugged my leg. She said it was the best day of her life.” He paused. “It’s those stories that keep me going.”
Looking forward, SHP faces a few uphill battles. For instance, volunteers currently store supplies sporadically across the region. Also, the chapter lacks a dedicated space to host builds. A permanent, affordable facility in Bend would make a huge difference. “We’re struggling a bit this year,” Myers admitted. “The economy’s been a challenge for a lot of our big donors… but if you donate even $5—it all helps.” You can contribute in many other ways, too. You can donate bedding, help with deliveries, do admin work, or register for a build day.
While SHP could always use more help, Myers is quick to recognize the dedicated volunteers who come back again and again to build and deliver beds. “Central Oregon is really unique in that we just have so much support from all the businesses and people,” he reflected. “It helps us be able to give these kids hope and give them the experience of someone who actually cares. A lot of these kids have never experienced an act of kindness, and when we go in and deliver a bed—it’s just such a big deal. The impact you’re having is tremendous.” See shpbeds.org and furnishhope.com.
Learn more about the history of Furnish Hope in our 2023 article.
