Chilliwack Volunteers Build Free Beds for Kids in Need

Roughly four percent of kids don't have their own bed to sleep in, but a team of volunteers in Chilliwack, British Columbia is changing that one frame at a time.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace opened its Chilliwack chapter in November 2024, joining two other B.C. locations in Vernon and Kelowna. The volunteer-run charity provides handmade beds, brand-new mattresses, pillows, and bedding completely free to children aged three to 17.

"When people have lack, and it's hard for them, it's humiliating sometimes to admit that you don't have money to buy a bed for your kid," said Ernie Block, president of the Chilliwack chapter. His journey started two years ago when his cousin invited him to a bed build in Vernon, where volunteers constructed 20 wooden beds in just five hours.

In its first year, the Chilliwack chapter has already delivered 19 beds to local families. The volunteers build North American standard bed frames in pieces, then assemble them inside each home.

Instead of commercial stain, they use a creative rust-colored solution made from vinegar and steel wool. The wood and mattresses come from local suppliers at discounted rates, and the team has received donations of handmade twin-size quilts from community members.

Shortly after launching, KMS Tools donated more than $2,500 worth of power tools to help the effort. On a recent spring day, Block and five other volunteers worked together in a Chilliwack workshop building six beds, including a bunkbed.

The team includes Phil Dueck, Dan Wiebe, Ben Penner, Rob Bridge, and Dan Barker. For retired volunteer Ben Penner, who stopped working in 2005, this is exactly the kind of meaningful project he wants to support.

"There's going to be lots of young kids that have proper beds to sleep on because of the work that Ernie has organized and we're helping," added Wiebe. "It's a good community project."

Why This Inspires

The reactions from children receiving their first real bed make every hour of sawing, sanding, and assembling worthwhile. "When they get a bed, some of them have never had a bed, and they're in shock," Block said. "They're so overjoyed. It's very humbling."

The charity operates on a simple but powerful motto: "No child sleeps on the floor in our town." It's an achievable goal that transforms lives one family at a time, tackling an invisible problem many people don't realize exists in their communities.

Families can request a bed, volunteer, or make financial donations at shpbeds.ca. Money donations work best since volunteers can purchase materials at discounted rates.

Six volunteers with hammers and hope are proving that basic dignity starts with a good night's sleep.