What does it mean to make a difference? For some, it might mean giving back to their community or donating to charity. But for others, it might entail quitting their day job to do something truly selfless.
Lots of kids don’t have a place to sleep at night.
More than one in five children in the United States live below the poverty line. For many of these kids, a good night’s sleep is an unattainable luxury.
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Luke Mickelson felt inspired.
Back in 2012, this Idaho dad decided to build a bunk bed for a local child who had to sleep on the floor. Soon after, he quit his job and enthusiastically began his next endeavor: a charity that builds beds for kids in need.
They named the charity Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace, or SHP for short, is a registered charity that sticks to Mickelson’s original vision: through donations and volunteer work, ensure that local kids have a comfortable place to lay their heads at night.
It’s a need not everyone knows about.
“I had no clue about what the need was,” Mickelson told CNN. “There’s kids next door whose parents are struggling to put food on the table, clothes on their back, a roof over their head. A bed was just a luxury.”
Donations came flooding in.
The SHP mission struck a chord with many people in Mickelson’s community of Twin Falls, Idaho. But what began as a humble vision quickly spread far beyond the confines of Idaho.
SHP is growing.
Following an appearance on handyman Mike Rowe’s show Returning the Favor , SHP gained a larger audience. Quite quickly, volunteers across the country had created a nationwide network stretching from coast to coast.
It’s a legit charity.
They’ve delivered thousands of free beds to kids in need. Mickelson designed a training course for SHP volunteers, providing them with everything they need to know in order to get involved and start building beds.
They live up to their motto.
Now that SHP has branches in towns and cities all over the country, their motto — “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town” — has become a rallying cry.
It’s become a big task.
Remember, Mickelson started by making one bed. Within a few years, SHP was building thousands. This requires a lot of labor on the part of volunteers, along with donated materials.
Mickelson finds it super rewarding.
“It just came to a point where I could see that my passion really is helping these kids,” he said. “It was gratifying to see my kids and my family be involved with it and help them learn the value of service.”
It’s quite the network.
Far from being concentrated near where it started, SHP has a strong presence all along the east coast and into the midwest. It’s a shot in the arm for families living below the poverty line.
It’s a great story.
Let us know your thoughts on this charitable initiative in the comments section, and be sure to check out Sleep in Heavenly Peace at their website , Facebook , Instagram and Twitter !
