contributed by Ben Lake
Every child deserves a safe, comfortable place to sleep. Yet for many families, something as simple as a bed can be out of reach. That’s where Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) comes in. Since opening its Georgetown chapter in 2019, SHP has brought together hundreds of community members to build and deliver handmade beds for local children in need.
What inspired the founder, Ron Shelly, to start a nonprofit focused specifically on making beds for kids?
Ron has always had a passion for helping children and youth. In 2019 he saw a TV show called Returning the Favor hosted by Mike Rowe which featured a fledgling nonprofit called Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP). Ron reached out to the Idaho-based organization and launched the Georgetown chapter later that year. Their first bed build in October 2019 brought together 30 volunteers to assemble 20 beds.
The first bed delivery was a mixture of emotions. Their daughter was about six years old and immediately snuggled up in her new fluffy pink blanket with a smile from ear to ear! For a child, a bed can be that safe and comfortable space that they get to call their own—a place to collapse after a long school day, a place to curl up with a book, or a place to display their toys.
One bed recipient, a single mother, sent us a message shortly after receiving a new bed for her child with special needs. She said her child had been playing quietly in their own bed all afternoon and as a result she was able to get some much needed rest herself. She was very grateful for the bed and hopeful that this would positively impact both of them!
How many children in our community do you estimate are still without beds?
Nationally, three to five percent of children experience “bedlessness,” meaning they share a bed or sleep on a couch or the floor. In a community like Georgetown, that could be as many as 5,000 children. Since 2019, we have delivered over 500 beds to families in our community—but there’s always a waiting list.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
The Georgetown chapter is entirely volunteer-run. A small core team coordinates builds, deliveries, fundraising, and outreach. About 30 volunteers come together five or six times a year for build days, assembling two dozen beds each time. Smaller groups deliver beds most weekends. Anyone with a heart for helping families can join in with the bed building and delivery. Right now, our biggest challenges are finding more delivery volunteers and raising funds.
Each $250 donation provides a new bed, mattress, and bedding.
Right now, all our builds take place at a private residence. Ultimately, having a trailer and storage unit would allow us to offer mobile builds and expand into the greater Williamson County area.
To learn more visit shpbeds.org/chapter/tx-georgetown.