A comfortable bed is essential for a good night of sleep, and without sleep, it is impossible to dream.
Many school-aged children in Kentucky do not have a bed of their own. They sleep on floors, couches, or in beds with siblings or parents. This can have a detrimental effect on their quality of sleep, which affects their schoolwork, health, and even outlook on the future.
To address the staggering need in this community Members Choice Credit Union (MCCU) and Ashland Credit Union (ACU) have come together through the Kentucky Credit Union League Ashland Chapter to sponsor the Ashland Build-A-Bed Project. On April 6, 2019, volunteers will gather at the Boyd County Community Center to construct beds for children in the FIVCO area, which includes Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Greenup and Lawrence counties.
The goal is to build and distribute 100 beds to area children ages preschool through high school. Each child received a brand-new bed and mattress along with a bedtime bag containing sheets, a pillow, blanket, stuffed animal, book, alarm clock or nightlight, and a hygiene kit.
Build-A-Bed began in Kentucky in 2009 with Morehead State University’s MSUCorps joining in 2011. To date MSUCorps has overseen the building and distribution of more than 1,000 beds in 30 Eastern Kentucky counties, including those built in Ashland.
The current Ashland Build-A-Bed Project began in 2018 when MCCU first learned of the program through its employees and approached MSUCorps. “After finding out the level of need in our area, we decided this project needed to be conducted and it had to happen quick,” said Tiffany Black, MCCU’s business development and marketing manager and Ashland Build-A-Bed program director.
MSUCorps receives nearly 700 applications a year for beds, she explained. “We knew the original list of leftover applicants for MSU’s build in 2017 needed a bed to sleep on now, especially before school started. MCCU also knew that we could look to our neighbors at Ashland Credit Union to help pull this build off quickly. That is the wonderful thing about credit unions: we work together.”
“We are continually looking for service projects that will provide for the ever-growing and changing needs of our local community. We saw the Build-A-Bed project as an opportunity to grow awareness about the lack of basic needs among some of our area children while also making an enormous impact on their well-being,” said Candace Stanley, ACU marketing and business development specialist.
She added, “Credit Unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives, this is the exact reason MCCU and ACU are working together. We are a cooperative. Our goal has been and always will be to work together to not only help our members and each other, but to help the community that we live in.”
Immediately, additional community partners joined MCCU and ACU. That included Jerry Rowe at Serv Pro, whose employees precut all the materials. Big Sandy Superstore Principals John Stewart and Robert VanHoose arranged for Big Sandy to provide all the mattresses, also sending a team to help with distribution and building. Last year, 80 volunteers built and distributed 69 beds.
Families in need are encouraged to apply for the 2019 project. “With the selection process, we do our best to make sure the neediest children receive beds based on the information turned in on the application. We start by selecting children that don’t have anything to sleep on, for example, these kids are sleeping on blankets on the floor, sleeping with a sibling, grandparent, etc. We also try to help kids who are sleeping on air mattresses as those are only a temporary solution. Additionally, we look at income of the family to make sure they are low income. We also consider factors such as veteran status and grandparents (or other family members) raising children,” Black said.
“Being a part of this project has made me realize a new level of volunteerism. The look on the children’s faces when they showed up with their family to pick up their new bed was priceless,” she said.
“Having the opportunity to give parents the ability to provide their children with a bed has been such a humbling experience. I continue to pray for blessings in our community,” said Stanley.
Volunteers are needed, regardless of their skill level with a hammer or drill. “The builds are easy to put together and take apart. Our teams do take the beds apart so they are easier to transport for the families. We have team leaders with past experience at builds to assist and guide our volunteers as well,” said Black.
“When you join the Ashland Build-A-Bed, you are giving children a dream. With your help we can continue to meet the needs of every family in our FIVCO area. Every gift of time, talent and financial assistance helps us build dreams, one bed at a time,” Black added.
Volunteers and donations are needed and applications for recipients are being accepted now too. Applications are due March 1. Donations are tax deductible and the donor deadline to be included in promotional materials is March 15. Each bed costs approximately $250 to build.
To Donate:
Checks may be made to Build-A-Bed. Send to Build-A-Bed, Members Choice Credit Union, PO Box 1468, Ashland, KY 41105. For questions, contact Tiffany Black, program director, 606.329.7876
Applications:
To apply for a bed, please visit the website: moreheadstate.edu/buildabed
Return your applications to:
Vicky Cooper, 211 Education Services Building, Morehead, KY 40351. For more information contact Vicky Cooper at 606.783.2579 or v.cooper@moreheadstate.edu
