Sleep In Heavenly Peace Rochester to build 500 beds before holidays

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Delivering 500 beds before Christmas. That’s the goal for Sleep In Heavenly Peace, (SHP) Rochester chapter. The nonprofit has delivered 445 handmade beds to kids in need since 2019.

Over the weekend, it had over 100 volunteers helping achieve the goal of 500 before the holidays. Sleep In Heavenly Peace is a national organization, but the Rochester chapter motto is “No kid sleeps on the floor in my town.”

With the help of volunteers on Saturday, they made 50 beds, everyone had a hammer in hand. With the swing of a hammer, and the vibration of a drill, SHP Rochester, has the tools to help any child in need.

“There are children here in Rochester who don’t have a place to sleep, they’re sleeping on chairs, couches or on the floor,” Rochester Chapter president, Donna Ritchie said.

The Flower City chapter has delivered 445 beds since 2019 when it started. The goal is to deliver its 500th bed before Christmas. Saturday there were about 100 volunteers building beds, one by one, in the Lowes parking lot on Macedon Parkway. Every bed is built with donated materials

“Lowes donated most of the lumber for today’s build, and then community volunteers donate funds and that’s what helps us get the materials we need.”

The beds are delivered with sheets and pillows.

“Each bed costs us about $250 to build, and that includes lumber hardware and materials, we include a brand new mattress and new bedding,” Ritchie said.

Anyone can go onto the website, find your chapter and sign up for a bed. It’s free.

There is a wait list of about 100 kids right now, but the organization says they get through the list no matter what, but ask for patience.