Westchase – All children deserve a safe and comfortable place to lay their heads but so many in Houston do not even have their own bed. Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a group of local volunteers who are doing their bit to make sure no child sleeps on the floor in Houston.
It does take a village. Local Westchase mom, Sincere Lyrix knows this, “You know, being a single parent, taking care of these two small children is a lot with Christmas coming around.” Lyrix and her two children moved into a new place at the end of July. With no one to help them move, the family had to start from ground up and have been slowly adding furniture. For a few months, the children were sleeping on air mattresses. Lyrix felt enough was enough and googled, free-beds-houston. The search lead her to Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a volunteer led, non-profit on a mission to make sure every child in Houston has a bed. A bed is a very basic need for every child yet too many boys and girls go without a bed, or even a pillow to sleep on. These children end up sleeping on couches, blankets, and even floors.
“Two to three percent of the people in the United States are children without beds. And, in our experience, there’s a lot of neighborhoods where the percentage of children without beds is zero, and then you go, sometimes not very far, and the percentage of children without beds are in double digits,” said Bill Tait. Tait is one of the chapter leadership at Sleep in Heavenly Peace and has bed assembly down pat.
Tait oversees the volunteers who, on weekends, dedicate their time to building and assembling high quality beds and bunkbeds for families. “When you’re able to deliver a bed and see the children’s reaction. It’s it’s really heartwarming. And it’s really the big payoff,” he said.
The beds Lyrix children will come home to after school today were built at a recent build-a-thon, sponsored by Energy Transfer. The company covering the cost of materials and donating their time.
Molly Whiles and her family have been volunteering with Sleep in Heavenly peace for five years.
“My entire family has been able to volunteer and participate in this and see from start to finish. Families receive beds for their children so that no child sleeps on the floor. It’s an absolutely amazing, rewarding opportunity,” she said
New volunteers are always welcome as are cash donations. And, as most of Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s deliveries circle around the Spring Branch and Westchase area, the organization is hoping to find a larger space where they can build their beds.
“Right now we’re working out of a three car garage. And when we’re trying to deliver 750 beds a year like we did in 2022. We’re just busting at the seams,” said Tait.
“This bed is definitely a blessing,” said Lyrix.
If you are interested in volunteering with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, or if you can donate, or may be knows someone with some warehouse space to spare, reach out online at SHPbeds.org or you can call 832-795-2759.