GRANT COUNTY - Imagine the feeling a child would get the moment he or she gets home from school and there is a brand new bed waiting for him or her.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) has a mission: “no kid sleeps on the floor in our town.”

The reaction SHP gets from children is priceless. There are hugs given, sometimes tears of happiness, and lots of gratitude. Most of the children don’t want to get out of the bed they just received.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace began in Idaho. The Grant County chapter is two years old. The core team of seven — cofounder and volunteer coordinator Leon Neuheisel, bed inventory coordinator Brad Biddick, cofounder and community liaison Hap Daus, building coordinators Frank Steck and Chuck Smet, communications coordinator Sarah Imobersteg and finance coordinator Hannah Coder. The chapter has delivered almost 300 beds, including mattress, pillow, twin sheet and quilt or blanket, to Grant County children.

Neuheisel read about SHP in a newspaper and could not shake the idea that he had a comfortable place to lay his head at night, but there were children who did not have that simple luxury. He then banded together some friends and colleagues. With the help of many volunteers, two years and more than 275 beds to Grant County children later, SHP is trying to keep up with the demand. Beds are going out as fast as SHP can build them.

SHP receives referrals for children ages 3 to 17 from educators, school counselors, daycare providers, social services, family members, or a Facebook request from a needy family. A social worker vets the requests to ensure that beds are going to families in need.

Once the family has been verified with a delivery appointment confirmed, the child will receive a delivery. In most cases takes about a week.

“There are beds and bedding that are kept on hand so we can make a quick turnaround for our local children,” said Daus. “I would love to share the mission of SHP. If you or your local organization would like a presentation” call 608-215-8915.

The bed is just the first step in helping our local children. A good night’s sleep is imperative in the development of children and adolescents. A research team led by Dr. Ze Wang of the University of Maryland, along with the National Institutes of Health, set out to determine how lack of sleep affects brain structure along with daily functions. The results of the study appeared in Lancet Child & Adolescent Health July 29. The research found that children in the insufficient-sleep group had more mental health and behavioral challenges than those who got sufficient sleep.

Providing beds is more than a place to sleep. It will allow children to be more successful in their daily lives and do their best in the classroom. Any of the core team members will be happy to answer questions and chat about SHP. Without  the help of their spouses and many community volunteers they would not be able to keep up with the demand. Local businesses have now stepped up to allow their employees to donate their time during working hours to help with construction.

Bedding donations can be dropped off at Mound City Bank’s main office in Platteville. All items must be new and unused. SHP accepts pillows, twin size sheet sets and twin size blankets or quilts. For questions about bedding or if you want to make quilts or blankets (60 to 64 inches wide and 84 to 89 inches long) contact bedding coordinator Madge Neuheisel, 608-642-0337.

SHP’s primary expenses are lumber and mattresses. Monetary donations can be sent to Sleep in Heavenly Peace–Wisconsin Grant County, P.O. Box 607, Platteville, WI 53818.