Something so simple
‘Child bed-less-ness’ – it may not be a word but it’s a real problem
The concept of Sleep in Heavenly Peace is so basic. And yet, so impactful.
“It’s really very simple,” says Kate Potts, the founder of the nonprofit’s local chapter. “We build beds and deliver them to kids who don’t have them.” She, along with her husband Adam, launched the group a little more than a year ago. Since then, they’ve provided 84 beds to “bed-less” children in the Billings area. They currently have 20 more kids who are waiting.
“Not many people are aware of child ‘bed-less-ness,’” Kate says. “You don’t know until you know. And once you know, it’s hard to let it go.” Then, she repeats a quote from Sleep in Heavenly Peace founder Jordan Allen.
“Child bed-less-ness. It’s not a real word but it’s a real problem.”
Kate, a native of Guadalupe, California, met Adam, a Bozeman native, when both were serving in the U.S. Army in Georgia. When their stints were over, Kate took a job with Dell Technology and Adam, with Oracle. Kate found her work met her needs, except for one.
“I’ve always loved helping people, so after leaving the Army, I was trying to find a hands‑on way to keep serving,” she says.
During her transition to civilian life, a woman mentor offered advice that stayed with her: Find something outside of work that fills your cup.
And yet, it was during work, at an online meeting, that Kate discovered Sleep in Heavenly Peace. A co-worker from the area where she grew up took a few minutes during the meeting to advocate for the organization that’s 100 percent donation-based and 100 percent volunteer-driven. Kate was struck by the concept and his proximity to her roots. When she later trailed along on a bed delivery there, she was stunned by what she witnessed.
The first stop took her to a home in an area of town that she remembered as a neighborhood down on its luck. Their next stop, however, took them to a large, beautiful home in an upscale neighborhood.
“When we entered the house, there was no furniture,” she says. “And the kids had been sleeping on piles of clothes with a blanket over them. That was the biggest eye-opener.”
And yet, the genuine looks of appreciation that rewarded her that first day were the same that now galvanize her in Billings.
“They had the biggest smiles,” she says. “The parents didn’t speak English, but you could just see their smiles.”
By then, Kate was totally invested. But how was she going to convince Adam? They were each busy with their jobs — both work from home — and two young children, Oliver, now 7, and Adalyn, now 4. Kate prepared her spiel to get him on board but discovered she needn’t have.
“As soon as I opened the question, he said ‘yes, let’s do it,’” she says. “He just knew I needed to be doing more.”
When they moved to Billings in 2023, Kate discovered that the Magic City lacked an active chapter. There had been one that faded away during COVID-19. She took it upon herself to start it back up. “That’s where I found my joy,” she says.
The couple organized its first “bed build” in December 2024. Typically, bed builds take place outdoors in a store’s parking lot and require the assistance of dozens of volunteers to build and deliver beds. Adam heads up the construction phase while Kate organizes volunteers and serves as project photographer. Sleep in Heavenly Peace provides instructions for building both single beds and bunk beds. The final step in building a bed involves branding “SHP” on the end of each headboard. Then the beds are delivered in pieces and assembled in the homes.
“A single bed takes 15 minutes and we’re out,” Kate says. “A bunkbed takes longer. But we don’t spend more than an hour at a house.”
Kate insists that no experience is necessary.
“I absolutely mean that,” she says. “My favorite is when the branding ends up upside down. Because they’re volunteers. They make mistakes. A bed is still a bed.” Volunteers usually sign on for a four-hour stretch and the Potts reward them well with lunch and home-baked goodies. “We know it’s not easy work,” Kate says. “We want them to know we value them and their time.”
As she prepares the volunteers to deliver beds, she tells them that the experiences vary widely. “It’s always a different scene,” she says. “But at the end of the day, you know a kid is going to have a place to sleep at night. That’s pretty nice.”
She remembers one family with two “bed-less” children whose uncle had promised them beds for Christmas. They were all excited for their first beds when the uncle passed away during the holiday season. Hearing that need, the Potts didn’t hesitate to make his Christmas wish come true. “Their thanks were just so heartfelt,” Kate says.
There are other kids, too, who benefit. Both Oliver and Adalyn have learned the importance of seeing the fun bedding — princess and action figure sheets — go to other children who have none.
“That makes me really proud,” Kate says.
The Potts are also beyond thankful for the businesses that support Billings’ chapter. United Way has hosted a majority of their builds. Lowe’s has provided them with lumber, supplies and even volunteer labor. Mattress King and Slumberland have gifted the nonprofit with free mattresses. EquipmentShare has lent their generators to power their builds. And local eateries, like Dave’s Hot Chicken, have donated lunch.
And then there was the day they returned home to a porch-full of pillows donated by Target and Walmart. Kate wondered where she’d stash them all. “What a good problem to have,” she says, laughing.
As for bedding, when the Potts run low Kate posts a plea on Facebook and donors come through with enough sheets, blankets and comforters to fill her closet.
So how does the local chapter of SHP connect with children that need beds? Kate keeps in touch with teachers, policemen, those who provide services to families and other nonprofits — any source that might link them up with a child in need. SHP’s criteria are as simple as its concept.
“They have to have a child between 3 and 17 years old who does not currently have a bed,” she says. “They also have to have a place to deliver to, and it can’t be a shelter.”
The Potts scheduled their most recent bed build and delivery in late April of this year and hope to schedule another in the fall. Meanwhile, when they’re not building beds, Kate focuses on outreach. They’d love to add a few more people to their team so they can boost their capacity.
Despite having 20 children on their wait list, the Potts encourage parents to apply anyway. They’re hoping for an infusion of dozens of beds from Lowe’s-sponsored “24-hour Build” that took place in North Carolina in April.
“Reach out. We’ll get to you,” Kate says. “The more we build, the better.”
