Sleep in Heavenly Peace: Changing lives one bed at a time

Nonprofit builds beds for children, families

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace recently hosted its Bunk Bed Build day outside the Texas Roadhouse restaurant on South Semoran Boulevard.

"It's a blessing to be able to make a difference in a child's life so they could sleep better -- hopefully do better in school and avoid some of the health problems that come with poor sleep," Bill Carleton, president of the Orlando chapter, said.

The national nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping families going through a rough time, one bed at a time.

"Unfortunately, the need is pretty substantial. There aren't really any statistics but from what we've seen and may have been gathered around the country in different chapters, it seems to be somewhere between 2 percent and 4 percent of the children between 3 and 17 years old," Carleton said. 

The team building event was set up under tents where there were several stations with lumber, tools and drills to make 44 beds for local children. More than 100 employees of Texas Roadhouse put their construction gloves on for this good cause.

"It's really the community helping the community, humans helping humans, that's what we say," Carleton said.

Samantha Smith's family received three new beds for her boys two weeks ago.

"They are really heaven sent. They're really awesome and they treated my kids so well when they were here. I just can't thank them enough. I'm overwhelmed with joy," Smith said.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace also provides new pillows, sheets and comforters. 

"They're so proud of their beds, you know, before they had a bed in a box spring but now they have their beds," Smith said.  


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