Thanks to a 2024 Variety Grant, Sleep In Heavenly Peace (SHP) was able to build and deliver 120 fully furnished twin beds to underprivileged children ages 3–17 in Polk County last year. Sleep In Heavenly Peace's mission is simple yet powerful: “No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town.” Every child deserves the comfort, security, and dignity of a bed to call their own. With support from Variety – the Children’s Charity, the Des Moines chapter is turning this mission into reality for hundreds of children across the community.
Following the September 2024 Variety awards program, the Des Moines chapter launched an even more ambitious season. In just a few months, they built and delivered beds to 526 children - a 41% increase from the previous year. The Variety Grant alone funded beds for 120 children, highlighting the vital role community support plays in their mission.
The impact of a bed extends far beyond a good night’s sleep. Children who receive beds experience better sleep, improved moods, stronger school performance, enhanced immunity, increased self-discipline, and greater self-worth.
For three sisters - eight-year-old Alianna, seven-year-old Alaina, and five-year-old Annalah - receiving their own beds was life-changing. The girls now each have their own space after previously sharing a single mattress on the floor. Alianna beams with pride in her bed, Alaina loves climbing the top bunk, and Annalah has transformed her lower bunk into a cozy ‘secret’ space. Their improved sleep has led to fewer disputes, better focus at school, and brighter moods at home.
One of Sleep In Heavenly Peace's delivery teams shared the story of a grandmother caring for her six-year-old twin grandsons. Struggling financially to provide even the essentials, she welcomed SHP volunteers into her home. The boys helped assemble their new bunk bed, learning a bit about building along the way. Once completed, the boys jumped into their dinosaur-themed beds, giggling and repeatedly saying, “Thank you.” The grandmother later shared, “Once they got their beds, it was like they finally felt like they belonged here. Bedtime even got easier. They told everyone at school that they built their beds with you.”
Want to learn more about Sleep In Heavenly Peace? Join us for a Charity Grant Tour on September 11 at their build space: the gray shop at 1007 Shaw Street in Des Moines. See where the magic happens and discover how Variety’s funding is helping give kids in our community a bed of their very own.
