On Oct.10, students, staff and parents from NWACC joined the non-profit organization Sleep In Heavenly Peace to achieve a powerful goal — building more than 45 beds for children in Benton and Washington counties who don’t have a place to rest.
Sleep In Heavenly Peace is a national organization that started in Idaho in 2012, when volunteers delivered their first bed. Now with 400 chapters across the U.S., its mission – “ No kid sleeps on the floor in our town” – has become even more powerful and inspiring. Funded solely by donations and driven by volunteer work, it continues to expand their mission nationwide.
“Our local chapter started in 2018,” said Melanie McMurtrey, the co-chapter president of Sleeping In Heavenly Peace NWA. “Since that time we’ve delivered 2,200 beds here in Northwest Arkansas; we are proud of this incredible accomplishment.”
Each bed built that Friday afternoon is a reminder that building a bed represents more than just nails and wood — it is a symbol of love, teamwork and commitment. Volunteers, with and without prior experience, worked together to reach the goal of making 50 beds. Despite some technical issues with a a few of the materials, the group managed to assemble 48 beds, ready for delivery the next morning.
The Integrated Design Lab at NWACC provided the perfect space to turn these dreams into reality, supplying the equipment and tools that were needed for the project. “I found this to be one of the most quality volunteer experiences you could get in, you don’t need any experience and we provided all the equipment you could possibly need,” said Ray Taylor, director of construction technology at NWACC. Each building day, NWACC’s Trails and Trades and Service Learning programs work with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build the beds, with volunteers using donated materials for the beds’ construction.
After the building day, the team prepared for the next phase— delivering the 48 beds to the children who had been waiting for them. The delivery process begins months in advance when the organization reviews applications submitted online.After prioritizing the applications, volunteer groups begin delivering the beds to the selected applicants. All the pieces are ready to be assembled quickly, and within minutes each bed is complete with a mattress and bedding.
“We were school teachers and now God blessed us to be retired,” said Doug and Suzanne Anteau, members of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. “We wanted to contribute, and this is a good way to give back.”
By the end of Saturday, Oct.11, these 48 children had their own beds where they can sleep in dignity and start dreaming again. The hard work of NWACC and Sleep In Heavenly Peace volunteers was rewarded with the smiles and gratitude of the families who received the gift of a place to sleep.
