Sleep in Heavenly Peace adds 27 chapters in record training push

By AI, Created 11:24 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Sleep in Heavenly Peace opened 27 new chapters and added leadership at nine existing chapters after a May 1-2 training in Lehi, Utah, that drew 85 volunteers. The expansion comes as the nonprofit works to serve more than 108,000 children waiting for beds nationwide.

Why it matters: - Sleep in Heavenly Peace is trying to close a basic-needs gap for children who sleep on floors, couches or shared air mattresses. - The nonprofit says more local chapters help reach underserved communities faster and extend its bed-delivery network. - The scale matters because more than 108,000 children are still waiting for beds nationwide.

What happened: - Sleep in Heavenly Peace added 27 new chapters and gave nine existing chapters new leadership roles. - The quarterly chapter training took place May 1-2 in Lehi, Utah. - Eighty-five volunteers from across the country took part. - The training group was the largest chapter cohort since Sleep in Heavenly Peace launched in 2012.

The details: - Sleep in Heavenly Peace has delivered more than 350,000 beds to children in need since 2012. - The organization says its chapters currently serve just under 30% of the U.S. population. - Chapter leaders include presidents, vice presidents and core teams. - The two-day training covers leadership, management, development, fundraising, marketing strategies and bed-building skills. - New leaders also take part in a hands-on bed delivery during training. - In 2026, volunteers have built 38,269 beds and delivered 28,085 beds. - Volunteers have logged more than 193,041 hours of service in 2026. - The organization now has more than 400 chapters. - Amy Andrew, director of training at Sleep in Heavenly Peace, said the new team members bring passion for the cause and will help reach more children. - Alan Thomas, president of the SHP-MI, Osceola County chapter, said the training was the most impactful he had experienced and that ending it by delivering bunk beds helped motivate his chapter.

Between the lines: - The chapter model is central to how Sleep in Heavenly Peace grows, so leadership training is a scaling tool, not just an onboarding exercise. - The emphasis on a bed delivery during training suggests the organization wants new leaders to connect operations with the mission immediately. - The expansion also signals that need remains high even after years of growth in beds delivered and chapters opened.

What’s next: - Sleep in Heavenly Peace will launch the new chapters in the communities listed below and use the expanded leadership teams to increase local bed-building and delivery capacity. - The organization is directing people to start a chapter, volunteer or donate. - New chapters will serve Fontana, California; Redondo Beach, California; Pueblo, Colorado; Suwannee County, Florida; Augusta, Georgia; Hancock County, Iowa; Decatur, Illinois; Herrin, Illinois; Rockford, Illinois; Fulton County, Indiana; Lafayette, Louisiana; St. Charles Parish, Louisiana; Gratiot County, Michigan; Jackson, Michigan; Lenawee County, Michigan; Osceola County, Michigan; Kasson, Minnesota; Sikeston, Missouri; Picayune, Mississippi; Greenville, North Carolina; Mebane, North Carolina; Suffolk, New York; Waynesboro, Pennsylvania; Washington County, Virginia; Washington County, Wisconsin; Kanawha County, West Virginia; and Potomac Highlands, West Virginia.

The bottom line: - Sleep in Heavenly Peace is accelerating its chapter network to turn volunteer labor into more beds for children who need them now.