The Salem based chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace has received a $10,000 grant from the Kentucky Fried Chicken Foundation.
Chapter President Kevin Rakers said they had earlier been encouraged by management of the Salem KFC store to file the on-line application.
Rakers says the grant check presentation came as a surprise to the volunteers.
“I got a call last week and they said can you come up and we want to cook dinner for you. And we showed up last night after delivering a few beds and they informed us we had won the $10,000 grant and it was pretty neat to see the faces on our volunteers drop with excitement.”
Rakers explains how the $10,000 will be used.
“This will take care of 40 beds and that’s the frame, mattresses, comforters and pillows, that will complete 40 beds for kids.”
Rakers says they have now constructed about 1,100 beds and have delivered well over 900 to homes in the Marion, Jefferson, and Clinton County area. He’s looking forward to the delivery of the 1,000th bed. There are currently 75 on the waiting list or currently in the process of being put on the list.
The next bed build is August 26th at Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 653 on South Chestnut Street in Centralia. The Salem chapter will participate in the national Bunks Across America build on September 9th in the parking lot of the former Save-a-Lot store on West Main Street in Salem.
