CENTRE COUNTY — For many children, a bed is something easily taken for granted. But for others, it’s a dream. And that dream is one that Sleep in Heavenly Peace is making a reality across Central Pennsylvania.
The national nonprofit, which provides beds to children who don’t have one of their own, has brought its mission to serve all of Centre County. Leading the effort is Chapter President Laura Orndorf, a retired teacher who understands just how vital a good night’s sleep can be for a child’s health and development.
“Nationally, about three percent of kids are sleeping someplace that’s not appropriate — on the floor, on the couch, with siblings or adults,” Orndorf said. “Every classroom you see has at least one kid who’s affected.”
The Centre County chapter operates under the Lock Haven hub, based out of the old Piper Aircraft plant — now SA Piper Logistics — which provides free space and equipment for volunteers to build and store beds. Since reopening the Lock Haven chapter in 2022, Orndorf and her volunteers have built more than 400 beds, expanding operations into Bellefonte, Jersey Shore and Williamsport.
This summer, the chapter also received a bonus supply of tools and equipment from the recently closed Harrisburg branch, effectively doubling its capacity.
“We decided with that opportunity we’d take the challenge to open it up completely to Centre County and Lycoming County,” Orndorf said. “We’re setting up delivery hubs in Bellefonte and Williamsport so we can serve more people.”
The process of providing a bed begins with community giving. Sleep in Heavenly Peace relies entirely on donations and volunteer labor, with support from national partners like Lowe’s, which supplies much of the lumber.
“It’s a 12-station setup, like an assembly line,” Orndorf explained. “Volunteers cut, sand, drill and assemble bed components — headboards, side rails, safety rails and slats — which we then deliver right to the homes.”
Each bed costs roughly $300 to $365 to build, though donations of bedding can lower that cost to around $200. Volunteers then deliver the beds directly to children’s homes, assembling them on-site and topping them with bedding often donated or handmade by community members.
“People can apply for a bed right on our website,” Orndorf said. “There’s no income requirement. We don’t ask personal questions. Just tell us your story. Everyone can fall on hard times.”
Recently, the Centre County community has rallied behind the chapter’s mission. Sleep in Heavenly Peace received two local grants — $8,500 from The Giving Circle and $4,500 from Downtown Rotary — both of which directly fund dozens of new beds for local children.
“Money donated, ninety-six cents on the dollar stays local,” Orndorf said. “Those dollars go right into the communities and to kids. Just imagine being sick and not having a bed to sleep in. It’s something most of us never think about.”
With hopes of delivering at least 40 beds across Centre County this year and hundreds more in the years to come, Orndorf is eager to see the community get involved.
“I just really want teachers, doctors and people who work with kids to know this service is available,” she said. “We have the space. We have the tools. Now we just need the connections to reach the families who need us.”
For more information on donating, volunteering or applying for a bed, visit shpbeds.org.
