(Graphic illustration created through the use of ChatGPT)

Ever learn about a new nonprofit and think to yourself “I had no idea that was a problem that needed addressing?”

That happened to me this week when I learned about Sleep in Heavenly Peace, which builds beds for children who do not have one. The organization says there are 157,330 such children on their list alone, waiting for a bed; 311,287 have been built and delivered already.

So, the group calls for volunteers and those willing to start local chapters.

“Every great movement begins with a simple decision — the choice to step forward and make a difference in your community. We believe that when you take the focus off yourself and put it on doing good things around you, you receive true joy. Starting an SHP chapter is more than just organizing volunteers; it’s about answering a call to action that exists in every corner of America,” it says on its website.

Former member of the state House of Delegates Steve Westfall answered that call, according to a report by West Virginia Watch. He launched a Jackson County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, likely because he, too, believes in the group’s motto that “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town.”

Speaking to West Virginia Watch on Sept. 16, Westfall said “We know there’s a need. We got two more applications today.”

Nine beds (along with mattresses, bedding and pillows) have been delivered since Labor Day, and Westfall said 25 will be delivered by the end of the month, thanks to volunteers of all ages who have helped with the builds.

In fact, the whole community has turned out to help — if not donating time and labor, then perhaps donating sheets, blankets, pillows or even warehouse space. Westfall told West Virginia Watch the biggest need now is money to buy mattresses.

What a wonderful way to remind kids (and their families/guardians) they are supported by the whole community.

The catch is, Westfall’s group’s reach is limited.

“As long as you live in Jackson County, we’ll approve you, ages 3 to 17,” he told West Virginia Watch. “We deliver them and set them up.”

I know I do a lot of asking in this space. Food, clothing, shelter, toys, books — and now beds! — for humans. Food, toys and loving homes for pets. Cleaned up roadsides and trails, too.

I’m greedy. I want everyone to get the most support we can give them.

But if you’ve been looking for your niche, take a look at the Sleep in Heavenly Peace website — https://shpbeds.org/ — and think about whether you’ve just found it. There are only five chapters in West Virginia; 16 in Ohio.

I like the organization’s idea of putting our focus on doing good things around us. It makes us feel a little less powerless and overwhelmed, and the need is certainly enormous.

If the Sleep in Heavenly Peace mission interests you, but you still need to think about it, go ahead. Sleep on it.

If a good night’s sleep in your own warm, cozy bed helps you think more clearly and face the decisions and challenges of the day, you might have your answer.

Christina Myer is executive editor of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. She can be reached via e-mail at cmyer@newsandsentinel.com.