With more than 80 children on its waiting list for beds, Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s Northern Santa Barbara County chapter partnered with CoastHills Credit Union to address this need.
CoastHills employees spent the Indigenous Peoples’ Day holiday, Oct. 12, at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge building 105 beds for local children.
The volunteer effort was part of CoastHills’ annual Community Impact Day and its partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
Working in teams, employees measured, sanded, drilled and assembled wood components to build the beds.
CoastHills also contributed financially toward the mattresses, bedding and pillows needed to complete each bed.
“Our vision — making a difference in our neighbors’ lives — is more than words and donations. It means rolling up our sleeves and doing the work,” said James Ledford, CoastHills Credit Union president/CEO.
“Our employees gave their time and energy to a physically demanding project because they know how much it matters for a child to have a bed of their own. I’m proud of the way they came together to help make that happen for more than 100 children,” he said.
The CoastHills employees worked alongside 18 volunteers from the Northern Santa Barbara County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, who helped guide the bed-building effort.
“Every child deserves a bed, but many families in our community face circumstances that make that difficult,” said Colleen Grant, co-president of the Northern Santa Barbara County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
“CoastHills’ support — from the volunteers who showed up ready to work to helping cover the cost of mattresses and bedding — brings us closer to ensuring no child in our community has to sleep on the floor,” she said.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a organization dedicated to building and delivering beds to children who do not have one. Its Northern Santa Barbara County chapter works to meet this need throughout the area.
To learn more about Sleep in Heavenly Peace or how to get involved, visit shpbeds.org.
CoastHills Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial institution serving more than 81,000 members. Founded on Vandenberg Air Force Base in 1958, CoastHills Credit Union operates 11 Central Coast branches and a locally staffed full-service call center.