Some families in need in Central Florida are receiving beds thanks to the hard work and collaboration of volunteers with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit organization.
“Our mission is simple: It's that no kid sleeps on the floor in our town,” William Carleton, founding president of the Orlando West chapter, said.
The national organization Sleep in Heavenly Peace estimates about 3% of American children do not have beds. The non-profit believes that sleep without a bed causes both physical and emotional stress on a child, and its aim is to end that.
“Imagine waking up when you didn't have a great night's sleep. You’re maybe a little cranky or tired and emotionally not where you want to be,” Carleton said, “Imagine a kid doing that every day.”
The build days put on by the Orlando West chapter are full of action. The buzzing of sanders and the grating of saws fill the build site early in the morning. Several people from Mosaic Church and the Florida Engineering Society spent this Saturday morning preparing bed frames in an assembly line. Jeanette Maldonado and two of her sons were among the volunteer community members hard at work.
“There's a lot of people that do a lot more out there, so it's good to be able to do a little bit,” Maldonado said, “It kind of instills that by getting them to volunteer and being aware that there's other people out there with needs and we can help.”
Delivering good sleep
After the pieces have moved down the line from each station, they’re put on a truck to be delivered to a family in need, complete with a Sleep in Heavenly Peace logo burned into the wood. One bed made its way to the home of Brittanni McNeal, a certified nursing assistant and mom of six, ready to accept two bunk beds. She found out about Sleep in Heavenly Peace on Facebook.
“I saw somebody post about it, and I have a lot of kids, so trying to get everybody a bed is next to impossible,” McNeal said.
After applying in November, the beds were delivered to McNeal and installed in March by Chapter Vice President Jennifer Radloff and her husband. McNeal’s children Serenity Evans and Sebastian Nelson were ready to help build alongside them.
“They were allowed to actually help instead of, no, you guys can't touch the power tools,” McNeal said, “I feel like it was a learning lesson for both of them, it was so amazing.”
The beds were needed after previous ones broke almost two years ago. Eight-year-old Aubri Nelson and eight-month-old Nalani Nelson were sleeping with McNeal and her husband. Serenity slept in her own bed, but Sebastian, Elisabeth Nelson and Adrianna Nelson were sleeping on recliners in the living room.
It was difficult for all of the children, but Adrianna, lovingly dubbed McNeal’s “Amazon child,” was struggling due to her height.
“I work overnights, and if I was working, she would sleep in my bed,” McNeal said.
Since receiving the beds, McNeal said the kids don’t want to leave them. They're enjoying a comfortable space that finally feels like their own.
“I repeatedly tell them beds are for nighttime and sleeping. You don't need to be in there. But they want to be in there on their phones, watching TV,” McNeal said, “And you know what? I give it to them because they haven't had them.”
For the Orlando West chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, work continues – there are still about 900 children in Orlando on the waiting list for a bed.
“To be able to bring a bed to a child, sometimes the very first bed that child's ever had, or the first space that they can call their own, is huge,” Carleton said, “It makes a kind of a lifelong difference.”