Building Beds and Building Community: Students Help Families in Need
Students are stepping up to ensure children in need have a safe place to sleep through a partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), a national nonprofit with a location in Sioux City, Iowa.
The initiative, coordinated by the Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement, involves assembling and delivering beds to families in the Vermillion area and across the region, giving students hands-on experience in community service.
The event happens various times throughout the year, and has multiple events planned for the rest of the semester.
“I saw Sleep in Heavenly Peace on social media and realized my hometown had a hub,” Director of Service Learning, April Lee said. “I knew Vermillion could benefit, so we started with a few students making deliveries. Now it’s growing into something much bigger.”
The program has expanded to include a core team of student volunteers, with plans to establish an official student organization later on and getting an official distribution site for the beds.
“We are getting a storage unit this summer so we can stock supplies and manage applications from people who need our help,” Lee said.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s process starts with families filling out an application. Then, the hub manages the application process, letting distribution teams know when there are deliveries in the area.
“Once we get contact information from the family and line it up with the core team, then we go and set up the beds with materials and tools that are supplied to us through SHP,” Lee said.
The program currently aims to distribute beds at least once a month, with a goal of increasing to bi-monthly and eventually weekly deliveries. The next event is Thursday, Feb. 27, where student volunteers will deliver seven beds around Vermillion. Students can get involved at various levels, from volunteering for single events to joining the executive board.
“We have three membership levels: volunteers and core team members who are trained to set up beds and executive board members who help with logistics,” Lee said. “Interested students can email [email protected] to get started.”
The office’s collaboration with SHP also includes fundraising efforts such as partnerships with local churches. During Lent, churches in Vermillion will participate in an Easter egg tree giving tree initiative. Members of the church can purchase an egg with an item inside and the money will be given directly back to SHP to donate essential bed items like mattresses, bedding and pillows.
“The community loves seeing USD students involved,” Lee said. “It helps them feel connected to Vermillion and strengthens their ties to the university.”
Beyond SHP, The Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement supports other initiatives like Dakotathon and AWOL, which provide additional opportunities for students to make an impact.
“We’re always looking for more volunteers,” Lee said. “Service learning is not just about giving back, but creating a legacy.”
