LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Some JCPS students received a special blessing to help them have a better night’s sleep.
There are between 10 and 13,000 students in the JCPS system who are homeless each school year.
Organizations including the Eta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, JCPS Office of Community Support Services and Foresters Financial participated in the Build-a-Bed project on June 11 to help provide beds for needy children in the district.
"You can only imagine how that affects our students, and how they are able to focus when they come to school. So, being able to provide a bed for our children who are able to climb into a warm comfortable bed, that affects their academic achievement,” Ben Langley, JCPS Office of Community Support Services, said.
The groups’ mission was to build 25 beds which they helped cut and sand. Some of the beds featured special messages or words of encouragement on the bed frames. They also provided pillows, linens, blankets, snacks and some stuffed animals.
“We're glad to just jump in there and build those beds, bring the hammers, the saws and the drills, and put it all together. Because academic excellence is important. That's what my fraternity is built on,” Ken Ellis, Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, said.
Lynetta Crawford, president of the Eta Omega Chapter, said the service project was impactful and would fulfill a basic need for kids in the community.
“We can truly make a difference in a child's life by giving them a place to lay their heads. The goal is to promote healthy bedtime rituals, improve the quality of sleep, and create happier days, brighter dreams, and more opportunities for a lifetime of success.”
PHOTOS | Community groups build beds to help needy JCPS students
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