The Peer Helpers programs across the Etowah County School System are preparing to raise awareness and collect donations for Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
Each school in the district will hold Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2. Students may pay $2 to wear pajamas for the day, with all proceeds benefiting the charity.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds beds for children and families in need. The effort began at Christmas in a garage as cold weather and snowstorms set in. What started as a single bed for one family quickly grew when leftover wood sparked the idea to build bunk beds for others.
A simple Facebook post drew an overwhelming response from community members eager to help. That generosity transformed the effort from one good deed into a nationwide charity that has provided more than 300,000 beds to families in need.
The Gadsden chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace serves Etowah, Cherokee, Clay, Talladega, Cleburne and Calhoun counties. Local leaders are Chapter President Tommy Goodman and Chapter Co-President Paul Moore. The chapter has expressed gratitude for the community support it has received since its inception in 2019.
This year marks the seventh annual Giving Tuesday PJ Day for Etowah County Schools’ Peer Helpers programs, which have raised more than $153,000 over the past six years and provided 612 beds to local students.
There are several ways to support Etowah County Peer Helpers and Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Local businesses can partner with a school’s Peer Helpers program, community members can volunteer to help build beds and anyone can donate cash, bedding or building supplies.
For information on partnerships and donations, visit shpbeds.org or contact Jennifer McGriff at jennifer_mcgriff@ecboe.org or visit shpbeds.org
