On Saturday, Oct. 19, 12 Project GIFT® volunteers from Southwire’s Florence Plant joined forces with Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SIHP), a national organization that provides beds to children in need.

According to its website, SIHP was founded in 2012 by Luke and Heidi Mickelson in Twin Falls, Idaho. The couple wanted to make Christmas special for a child in need in their community by providing a bed for him or her. Since then, SIHP has outgrown those geographical boundaries and currently operates in more than 150 chapters in 41 states.

Southwire volunteered with SIHP’s Alabama-Shoals chapter, one of the organization’s newest additions, which holds volunteer opportunities in northern Alabama. The chapter started in early 2019 and has already made a positive impact, holding four building opportunities so far.

The Project GIFT volunteers worked for approximately two hours to build 16 beds. Each bed costs $175, which includes the mattress, bedding and pillows. Southwire sponsored 10 of the 16 beds, donating a total of $1,750 to the cause.

Dale Price, a buyer at Southwire’s Florence Plant, first volunteered with SIHP over the summer and knew immediately that a great relationship could be formed between SIHP and Southwire. He reached out to his Project GIFT coordinator to bring this volunteer opportunity to fruition.

“I hope we can make this an annual event,” said Price. “Southwire gives so much to our communities, and this is another way that we can help those in need. Personally, I’ve had opportunities in my life that people have helped me, and this is how I can pay it forward.”

Price said this cause is personal to him because it impacts the youth in his area. Price is a grandfather to young children and cannot bear to think of them in a similar situation. To him, and the other employees at the Florence plant, being able to volunteer with SIHP is more than just another volunteer opportunity, because it impacts these children’s livelihood. Amanda Berry, Project GIFT coordinator at the Florence Plant, emphasized the importance of this initiative.

“You don’t think this sort of thing is happening in the area that you live, but when you actually see it, you realize the need,” said Berry. “There are numerous children in our community who don’t have beds to sleep in, and Southwire wants to help.”

Every dollar donated to SIHP is put into these beds, so volunteers are able to see Southwire’s donation come to life through their hands-on work. After the beds were built, SIHP coordinators delivered the beds to the local children in need. From this combined effort, 16 children no longer have to sleep on the floor.

To learn more about Southwire’s commitment to Giving Back in our communities, check out the Southwire Blog or “Like” our Southwire Community Facebook page.