30 Oct 2022 Sleep in heavenly peace
By Tammy Keith
When Tammy Wright learned that children not having beds is a nationwide problem, she didn’t rest until she founded the Vilonia chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
One of 314 chapters in the country, the nonprofit provides volunteer-built beds, as well as new bedding and mattresses, for children who live in the 72173 ZIP Code; at press time, plans are to be in Conway soon.
“I just felt in my heart that was what I was supposed to do,” said Wright, a mother of five sons. In 2019, she founded Vilonia Volunteers, which assists the elderly and disabled, and one of the volunteers told her about Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
“She sent me the link to it; she knows I was big into trying to help people. I checked it out online and God said, ‘You’ve got to help these kids.’” Wright said. “My heart swelled with heartbreak for kids who didn’t have beds to sleep in. It was something I couldn’t turn my back on. I jumped in feet first. I had so many people willing to help; this wasn’t something I could do on my own.”
She founded the 501 (c) 3 chapter in April with a core group of 14 volunteers, including her husband, Shaun.
“Every city, every town, has children sleeping on the floor or other unfavorable sleeping conditions,” she said. “Our motto is ‘No kid sleeps on the floor in our town.’”
The need in Vilonia was evident after she received seven requests within five hours of opening applications this fall. The requests, which are all vetted, can come from anyone, Wright said, from parents and guardians to the Arkansas Department of Human Services. She said the goal of the organization is “solving the problem of child bedlessness while instilling a sense of unity in the community by volunteering and involvement.”
Volunteers make the twin or bunk beds by hand, and Build Days are announced on the Vilonia chapter’s Facebook page, Sleep in Heavenly Peace – AR, Vilonia. “They’re made to last a lifetime,” she said. The beds are stored until they are assembled in the recipients’ homes.
Kacee Simas of Vilonia, a single mother, has been approved for bunk beds for her children, ages 5 and 7. Simas said she sleeps in a twin bed, and her children typically sleep on pallets on the floor.
“It’s just a miracle. I can’t believe that people do that. I know there are places that help … but to actually have a bed that’s their own little space. I’m about to cry; it meant that much,” she said. Simas said she showed her children photos of similar beds on the Sleep in Heavenly Peace website. “They were so happy. They were jumping up and down and clapping their hands. I can’t imagine what they’ll do when they get here. It will be like Christmas.”
Wright said the organization operates solely on donations and accepts new twin bedding, pillows and mattresses, as well as funds to purchase the lumber, hardware and bedding. To make a tax-deductible donation, apply or volunteer, go to sleepinheavenlypeace.org and search for the Vilonia chapter under Arkansas. “All children deserve a safe and comfortable place to lay their heads. Too many go without a bed or pillow,” she said. “This can affect their happiness and health. When a child goes from sleeping on a floor to a bed, it boosts their self-esteem and confidence. That’s where Sleep in Heavenly Peace comes in.”
And that’s her dream.
