With the motto, “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town,” MCSHP has delivered beds to more than 1,000 kids in the 15 months since the chapter’s inception.
MCSHP relies on community donations, along with church and business sponsorships. The organization and its volunteers construct the bed frames themselves during bed building events at a cost of around $250 each.
A mattress and bedding is provided with the wooden bed frames, and each bed is hand delivered to its recipient.
“We get a lot of smiles and hugs, and with most of our organization being Christian, we get to talk about our faith and our trust in Christ during these deliveries, which can also provide hope,” Mogg said.
Currently, the MCSHP has a total of around 1,700 requests for beds, Mogg said.
Members of the community can request a bed for a child on the website by clicking the link at SHPBeds.org that says, “Apply.” Each applicant is asked just two questions: Do you have a child between the ages of three to 17 who does not have a bed of their own? And do you have room for the bed in your house?
The organization also takes requests on a more urgent basis for situations that include children escaping a domestic violence situation with a parent, or other issues involving Child Protective Services.
“We get these cases as emergencies mainly through the Job & Family Services CarePortal (a network connecting families in need with help), and we can handle them in a matter of days,” Mogg said.
Mogg said the organization is meeting a critical need throughout the county, focusing on children in areas most affected by poverty. He noted that beds are not just luxury, but a necessity, especially for growing kids.
“Children produce and secrete growth hormone while they’re in a deep sleep, and children who are not getting deep sleep — whether they’re sleeping on the couch while the TV or stereo is on, or they just don’t have a room or bed of their own — they’re not developing cognitively, emotionally, or socially the way they should,” Mogg said. “We feel we’re giving these children a chance to not only survive, but to thrive.”
How to help
The organization’s next build event will be Saturday, Sept. 14, at the MCSHP woodshop, located at St. Vincent de Paul Dayton. This event will be sponsored by Grace Lutheran Moraine First Church of God and the West Carrollton Church of the Nazarene. Those interested in volunteering for a build event or donating money to the cause can do so at the organization’s website, SHPBeds.org. SHP officials say volunteers and donations are always needed, as the organization works to meet the needs of the community.
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