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The LaGrange chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) is set to hold its annual build-day event on Saturday, Sept. 9. The build is part of the nationwide Bunks Across America National Build Day campaign.

The non-profit is still looking for volunteers and team leaders to help with the charity program that provides bunk beds for kids in need.

SLP Chapter President Greg Watts said the group is still in need of volunteers to ensure that a recent influx of bed requests is fulfilled.

“Over the last 30 days, we have been flooded with applications for beds for children in our community. We have over 100 applications pending, and more coming in every day. This has been the largest surge of requests that we have had since our first year of building beds,” Watts said in a press release.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a nonprofit organization that builds beds for children who don’t have a bed of their own. Bunks Across America is a nationwide event where all the chapters of SHP are invited to build beds on the same day. The LaGrange Chapter is going to be part of the Build Day again this year.

Since SLP started inside an Idaho garage more than a decade ago in 2012, the nonprofit has expanded to over 300 chapters across the United States and Canada.

The group builds bunk beds for children in need, delivers them and provides bedding as they strive to ensure their motto, “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town.” The overall nonprofit hopes to build more than 7,500 bunk beds during the annual event this year.

Last year about 150 volunteers joined together to build 80 bunkbeds during the local event.

The LaGrange Chapter of SHP was started in 2018 and was the first chapter in Georgia. LaGrange is the 38^th overall chapter for the international organization.

The LaGrange chapter is a completely volunteer organization, so they are always looking for volunteers to participate in builds. Nearly all of the beds built by the local chapter go to kids in Troup County but occasionally they are provided to families in Pine Mountain, Franklin and the Valley area.

No experience is needed to participate, and volunteers do not need to bring any tools or materials. The build day can be fun for the whole family and children can participate.

Each year the build day sees participants with a wide range of skills from experienced carpenters to people who just want to help. Church and civic groups also assist with builds.

The Bunks Across America build will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the New Ventures Facility at 150 Lukken Ind. Dr. E, in LaGrange.  To sign up to volunteer, donate, request a bed or for more information, visit: https://shpbeds.org/chapter/ga-la-grange/.